Hamnet, directed by Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Eternals) and starring Jessie Buckley (Women Talking, The Lost Daughter, Wild Rose) and Paul Mescal (Gladiator, Aftersun) will open this year’s 48th Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF48), presented by the California Film Institute (CAFILM).
Hamnet is a powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece.
“I’m so excited to be opening this year’s MVFF with Hamnet,” added Zoë Elton, MVFF Director of Programming. “It’s like being in the company of great artists across time, from the imagined lives of Agnes Hathaway and William Shakespeare in sixteenth-century England via Maggie O’Farrell’s excellent book, to Chloé Zhao’s exquisite filmmaking and the extraordinary performances of Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, plus a wonderful ensemble. The story and characters feel remarkably contemporary, a testament to the power of the actor-director collaboration. From the woods of rural England to the boards of The Globe Theatre, it’s beautiful work!”
MVFF48 will host two major programs showcasing the film:
Opening Night: Thursday, October 2
A premiere screening of Hamnet, followed by an on-stage conversation with director Chloé Zhao and star Jessie Buckley.
Spotlight Program: Friday, October 3
An encore matinee screening of Hamnet and the presentation of the Mill Valley Film Festival Award to Jessie Buckley, recognizing her outstanding work in Hamnet and her contributions to contemporary cinema. An on-stage conversation with Chloé Zhao and Jessie Buckley, moderated by
“It was 2020, during the height of the pandemic, and I’ll never forget the excitement at the drive-in we created for that year’s Mill Valley Film Festival. One of the special programs at the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Marin County Civic Center featured Chloé Zhao’s then-new film, and the anticipation was palpable,” said MVFF Director/Founder Mark Fishkin. “It’s been five years since Nomadland went on to win three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Now, five years later, Zhao returns with Hamnet, a film that exceeds those high expectations. Poignant and powerful, this adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel will captivate her readers and anyone unfamiliar with the story alike.”
MVFF48 takes place October 2–12, 2025, in Marin County, California
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.