Hamnet (12A)

Chloé Zhao offers an intimate take on the human story behind Shakespeare’s family in this stunning portrait of love, loss and endurance.

Agnes, a perceptive young woman with a deep connection to the land, is viewed with suspicion by her neighbours but forms an immediate bond with Will, a visiting tutor. Their relationship quickly becomes a marriage, and soon a growing family follows. While Will increasingly divides his time between home and London, Agnes holds the household together with the help of relatives. That fragile stability is tested when sudden illness strikes during one of Will’s absences, leaving Agnes to face the consequences alone.

Adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, the film is rooted in the textures of the natural world. Everything moves to its own patient rhythms, drawing power from everyday rituals and emotional undercurrents. Jessie Buckley gives a career-defining performance, capturing Agnes’s strength and vulnerability in devastating fashion. Paul Mescal complements perfectly, portraying Will as loving but distracted by ambition. Their chemistry makes the early warmth of the relationship feel genuine, which deepens the impact when tragedy arrives.

A moving, measured and quietly devastating reflection on how creation can ultimately emerge from intense sorrow.