After its world premiere at Telluride Film Festival last month, Hamnet the movie (based on Maggie O’Farrell’s multi award winning novel) had a European premiere at the London Film Festival this past Saturday, sparking renewed Oscar buzz. The film has already won the TIFF People’s Choice Best Film Award as well as the 48th Mill Valley ‘Overall Audience Favourite’ Award.

Directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao from a screenplay adaptation co-written by Maggie and Chloe, Hamnet received an emotional round of applause from a packed Royal Festival Hall audience. The film, a gut-wrenching drama exploring contrasting experiences of grief, stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal in the lead roles, with Emily Watson and Jacobi Jupe as Hamnet.

The event was introduced by Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes, alongside producers Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris and Nick Gonda and key cast.

Blake Friedmann’s Head of Film and TV, Conrad Williams, negotiated the adaptation and screenwriting deals for Maggie. Victoria Hobbs at A.M.Heath reps Maggie’s publishing rights etc.

Critical Acclaim for Hamnet

‘This transcendent adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel about the death of Shakespeare’s son will be an Oscar frontrunner’ – The Times

‘Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal excel in stately Shakespeare drama with overwhelming finale’ – The Guardian

‘Jessie Buckley delivers a devastating performance in Chloé Zhao’s radically feminine take on Shakespeare’s family life’ – Variety

‘Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, and director Chloé Zhao turn Shakespeare’s real-life tragedy into a heartbreaking portrait of love, loss, and the healing power of art’ – Rolling Stone