Days ago at a film screening hosted by the Asia Society, I met a veteran Hollywood producer and Oscar voter. She excitedly brought up Chloé Zhao's new film Hamnet, asserting with confidence that it will walk away with two to four major Awards next year.
Almost at the same time, I saw my friend, educator Dr. Baiyan Yang, praising the film on social media: "This not only proves Zhao's artistic mastery and humanistic depth, but also stands among the most emotionally powerful works of our time."
With such "preloaded" expectations, I began to look into the details. Indeed, the film is scheduled for a limited U. S. release on November 27, while its Telluride Film Festival premiere has already set critics abuzz: a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, a stellar 95 on Metacritic. The Playlist even declared it "another masterpiece from Zhao."
Adapted from Maggie O'Farrell's acclaimed novel, Hamnet diverges from works that traditionally focus on Shakespeare's career, choosing instead to center on his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley) and their young son who died prematurely. It portrays a family torn apart by plague yet striving for renewal. Zhao's 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 breaking heart. The climax is especially moving: when she watches "Hamlet" performed at The Globe, the name of her lost child overlaps with the title character, and art fuses with life in a moment of profound poignancy.
Reports from the premiere noted many audience members were in tears. Critics called it "the most devastating film in years," emphasizing that it not only depicts a family tragedy but also reframes the emotional roots of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Performances by Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal have been hailed as career-defining turns.
What intrigued me further was Zhao's own comment earlier this year. Reflecting on her Marvel experience with Eternals, she said it gave her insights into world-building, but Hamnet brought her back to the intimacy of contained storytelling: "When resources are limited, everything becomes more meaningful." That line has stayed with me.
From the heights of Nomadland, through the divisive reception of Eternals, and now to the triumphant acclaim of Hamnet, Zhao's work has always carried her signature: an empathy for outsiders, a reverence for nature and humanity, and a gift for transforming individual grief into universal emotion. In an era saturated with superhero blockbusters, a film with this kind of literary depth and emotional resonance feels like a breath of fresh air.
Personally, I am deeply looking forward to its official release in November. Hamnet is poised not only to be a heavyweight contender in awards season, but also to show us a director returning to her roots with greater maturity after navigating both commercial spectacle and intimate art. Perhaps this is what cinema ultimately exists for-to find rebirth in the fragile balance between love and loss.
