Hamnet Morning Tea Screening

Windsor Cinema
Thurs, Jan 15
Doors 10:30 am for 11:00 am film start

Pray, join us for a morning tea, where scones and treats do tempt the senses*; doors open at half past ten.
At eleven, let us behold Hamnet’s tale unfold upon the screen.

Academy Award–winning director Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) helms this lush and tender drama about William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his family, as seen through the eyes of his thoughtful wife Agnes (a luminous Jessie Buckley).

This tender exploration of Shakespeare’s domestic life connects a family tragedy to one of his most famous works. Maybe we can better understand Hamlet, Zhao suggests, if we consider that it was developed while the most famous writer in the Western canon was mourning the death of his 11-year-old son, Hamnet.

Based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet’s main character isn’t The Bard — played here by an impressive Paul Mescal — or even the child who gives the film its name. Hamnet belongs to Agnes, Shakespeare’s thoughtful wife, played by an enthralling Jessie Buckley, who bathes the film in her warmth.

Many historical accounts preface reports of Hamnet’s death with statistics about how common child mortality was in the 16th century, as though it barely made an impact. Hamnet rejects that premise, presenting Shakespeare not as a distant, untouchable genius but as a real man whose literary prowess was irrevocably impacted by his domestic life.

Grief is a theme here, but Hamnet is not just a film about death. Like any family story, this one contains joy alongside sorrow.

AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
2026 Golden Globes | Nominee x 6: Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama (Jessie Buckley), Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Paul Mescal), Best Director - Motion Picture (Chloe Zhao), Best Screenplay - Motion Picture, Best Original Score - Motion Picture

*(While stocks last)