The Lady in the Van

The Lady in the Van is a 2015 British comedy-drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner, and starring Maggie Smith as Miss Shepherd, an elderly woman living in a dilapidated van on Alan Bennett's (Alex Jennings) London driveway for 15 years. The story tells the true account of their unusual friendship, which begins when Bennett buys her a new home in Camden but ends up letting her park outside his house instead. Throughout their time together, Bennett learns that Shepherd is a complex and intriguing woman with a mysterious past, including driving an ambulance during WWII and studying piano under Alfred Cortot.