‘Hamnet’: the story behind Shakespeare's masterpiece

The critically acclaimed Golden Globe winner for Best Picture and eight-time Academy Award-nominated film, "Hamnet," directed by Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao, arrives exclusively at the home of award-winning films, Ayala Malls Cinemas, starting February 18 offering Philippine audiences the rare opportunity to experience one of the year’s most celebrated films on the big screen.

"Hamnet," a powerful story that inspired Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece Hamlet is written and directed by Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao, is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s award-winning novel of the same title, and stars Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, and Joe Alwyn.

The film stands as one of the most recognized films of the awards season, nominated for Best Picture, Best Director (Chloé Zhao), Best Actress (Jessie Buckley), and major craft categories including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score.

"Hamnet" has also won in two Golden Globes categories, with the film taking home the Best Motion Picture award in the drama category, and Buckley winning Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama.

Praised for its emotional depth, intimate storytelling, and masterful performances, "Hamnet" is the latest addition in Ayala Malls Cinemas exclusives, a collection of critically-acclaimed stories that spark emotion and discussion.

Set in England in the late 16th century, "Hamnet" is the tale of legendary poet William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes. A love affair turns into a marriage and three children, and as Will sets off to London for a career in theater, Agnes is left to support the family alone. Their bond is tested as tragedy strikes, and as their once unshakeable foundation starts to crumble, the experience leads into the creation of Hamlet.

Ayala Malls Cinemas invites audiences to experience "Hamnet" within a sanctuary of cinematic artistry -- where every frame in the period drama comes alive through superior digital projection. The film’s hauntingly beautiful original score unfolds in rich, immersive surround sound, wrapping viewers in its emotional embrace.

Celebrated for its dedication to showcasing award-winning masterpieces, this is the perfect setting to witness Hamnet’s quiet power and timeless grace on the grandest screen.

Producer Steven Spielberg is convinced that the story of "Hamnet" was in the best of hands with Chloé Zhao.

“The beautiful and memorable storytelling in Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling novel deserved to be brought to the screen by a filmmaker who would protect the material’s integrity and demonstrate an intuitive understanding of the emotional and complex journey that the characters, and the audience, take over the course of the story,” says Spielberg.

“There was only one director I knew who would bring Hamnet to the screen with such compassionate care, and that is Chloé Zhao. In adapting the novel with Maggie, Chloé’s inherent humanity, unerring sense of narrative, and gift for getting remarkable performances infuse every frame of Hamnet.”