A few days ago, at a film screening organized by the Asia Society, I met a veteran Hollywood producer and Oscar voter. She enthusiastically told me about Chloé Zhao's new film, Hamnet, confidently stating that it would win between two and four major awards next year.
Around the same time, I saw my friend, educator Dr. Baiyan Yang, praising the film on social media: “This not only demonstrates Zhao's artistic mastery and humanistic depth, but also ranks among the most moving works of our time.”
Director: Chloé Zhao
Writers: Chloé Zhao, Maggie O'Farrell
Stars: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Zac Wishart
With such high expectations, I started to investigate further. Indeed, the film is scheduled for a limited release in the United States on November 27th, while its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival has already caused a sensation among critics: a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and an excellent 95 on Metacritic. The Playlist even declared it "another masterpiece from Zhao."
Adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel, Hamnet departs from works that traditionally focus on Shakespeare’s career, opting instead to center on his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley) and their young son who died prematurely. It portrays a family shattered by the plague, yet striving for renewal. Zhao’s almost documentary-like aesthetic and use of natural light make 16th-century rural England almost tangible: you can feel the dew on Agnes’s fingertips and hear the sound of her broken heart.
The climax is especially poignant: when she sees a performance of "Hamlet" at The Globe, the name of her lost son is superimposed with that of the main character, and art merges with life in a moment of profound emotion.
Reports from the premiere noted that many viewers wept. Critics have called it "the most heartbreaking film in years," emphasizing that it not only depicts a family tragedy but also re-examines the emotional roots of Shakespeare's Hamlet. The performances of Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal have been hailed as career-defining. What intrigued me most was Zhao's own comment earlier this year.
Reflecting on her experience with Marvel's Eternals, she said it gave her insights into world-building, but that Hamnet brought her back to the intimacy of contained storytelling: "When resources are limited, everything becomes more meaningful." That line has stuck with me. From the heights of Nomadland, through the controversial reception of Eternals, and now with the acclaimed success of Hamnet, Zhao's work has always carried her distinctive signature: an empathy for the marginalized, a reverence for nature and humanity, and a gift for transforming individual pain into universal emotion. In an era saturated with superhero blockbusters, a film with this literary depth and emotional resonance feels like a breath of fresh air.
Personally, I eagerly await its official release in November. Hamnet not only looks set to be a strong contender in the awards season, but it also shows us a director returning to her roots with greater maturity after having explored both commercial filmmaking and more intimate art. Perhaps this is ultimately what cinema is for: to find rebirth in the fragile balance between love and loss.
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