TORONTO – Chloé Zhao, a well-known director, brought her new movie, Hamnet, to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sunday. It was a moving and very emotional look at the life of William Shakespeare that drew in spectators. The picture, which had its Canadian debut, is a remarkable departure from Zhao’s earlier work. It takes place in 16th-century England, where the landscapes are rich yet sad.
Hamnet is based on the award-winning book by Maggie O’Farrell. It covers the narrative of Shakespeare’s family, focusing on his wife Agnes and how they deal with the unthinkable tragedy of losing their 11-year-old son, Hamnet. The movie looks at how this terrible personal tragedy may have led to the writing of one of the greatest plays in English history. It does this by pointing out that the names “Hamlet” and “Hamnet” were used interchangeably during Shakespeare’s time.
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, who play Agnes and Shakespeare, respectively, walked the red carpet with Zhao. Mescal, an Irish actor, talked about the film’s unique mix of cultures. He said, “You’ve got two Irish people and a Chinese woman in charge of a story that is so British.” It makes me happy.
Instead of focusing on Shakespeare’s literary genius, the movie looks at his life as a husband and father. It shows his early years in Stratford-upon-Avon, his marriage to Agnes, and their life raising a family before he came to London to work as a playwright. The movie is mostly about grief and sadness, but it also has happy parts that illustrate how close Shakespeare and his son were.
The movie was a fresh artistic challenge for Zhao. She is known for her unique way of capturing wide-open spaces and “magic hour” sunlight. She commented, “It’s very different because there are no sunsets.” There is no magic hour in this movie. She said that the creative process needed her to stay “on one stage, in one room, and be with myself in stillness.” This was a change that made her “very uncomfortable,” but she said it was part of the process.
The first reviews from its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and now at TIFF have been very positive. Many critics have praised the strong performances of Buckley and Mescal. On November 27, 2025, Hamnet will be shown in a few theaters in the US and Canada. On December 12, 2025, it will be shown in more theaters.