LOLA is a 2022 Irish–British found footage science fiction film directed by Andrew Legge, starring Emma Appleton and Stefanie Martini. The film is Legge's feature directorial debut.It received the Méliès d'Or for Best European Fantastic Film.
Two sisters Thomasina (Thom) and Martha (Mars) Hanbury grew up in isolation as orphans in an isolated house in the English countryside. Thomasina is a talented inventor, creating a machine called "Lola" which has the capability to tap into radio and television signals from the future. The sisters use Lola primarily to listen to music from the future, until the Second World War breaks out. During The Blitz the girls begin listening to news bulletins from the future and broadcasting clandestine radio messages to warn civilians to take cover from impending German air raids, saving many lives.
Lt. Sebastian Holloway of the Royal Corps of Signals attempts to locate the source of the broadcasts, eventually identifying the girls. Holloway brings his superior office Cobcroft to view the machine, suggesting that the girls be allowed to listen to military radio frequencies. Cobcroft is skeptical, but agrees that Holloway remain at the house to authenticate and coordinate the messages. Using messages obtained from Lola, the Royal Air Force is able to destroy a significant number of German bombers, forcing the Luftwaffe to cancel further raids over Britain.
Mars and Holloway begin a romantic relationship. Thom becomes increasingly seduced by Lola's power, often banishing Mars and Holloway from the house so she can work undisturbed. The girls start to see signs that their work with Lola is changing the course of the future. Mars becomes upset when she tries to tune in to a TV appearance by David Bowie from 1973, only to find that he has been replaced by a musician named Reginald Watson whose music has distinctly fascist themes. Thom orchestrates a trap for German U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic. However, the operation resulted in the Germans sinking the American ship SS Abraham Lincoln, killing 2,000 people. When word leaks that the British knew in advance that the Abraham Lincoln would be attacked, it leads to a decisive turning of American support away from Britain and the United States fails to enter the war against Germany.
With the United States prevented from entering the war, the Germans attempt a second invasion of Britain. Thom hears signals indicating an invasion force would land the next day at Southampton. However, the following day the real invasion force lands at Dover, and the signals heard the previous day were a German deception operation. Now suspecting that the girls are double agents, Cobcroft has them arrested, tried, and sentenced to death.
As Thom and Mars are being led out of the courtroom, they are interrupted by a German attack on London. Holloway and Mars use the chaos to escape to Cornwall, while Thom is freed by the Germans and becomes a collaborator with the new fascist government led by Oswald Mosley and Edward VIII. Thom becomes a famous scientist, believing her research will help to create a perfect society. On a visit to Britain, Adolf Hitler visits her house. A bomb explodes, planted by Mars who is immediately captured and hanged on a tree in the front yard by the Germans. As she is hanging from the noose, Mars pulls out a gun and shoots several of the German soldiers. Thom successfully rescues Mars, but is shot by one of the Germans and dies. Mars concludes the film by saying that she made the movie in hopes that it will be broadcast and will be seen by past Thom, dissuading her from further work on Lola.
A title card at the end says that no trace of Lola has ever been found, and that the only known trace of the Hanbury sisters is a newspaper photograph in which they can be seen among a large crowd of people celebrating V-E Day.