Toronto movie award bestowed upon Shakespeare family drama 'Hamnet'
In the heart of September, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) crowned a new champion. The period drama "Hamnet," directed by Chloé Zhao, emerged victorious, taking home the top prize on the 14th of the month.
Based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel, "Hamnet" offers a poignant portrayal of Shakespeare's family, delving into the hardships of Elizabethan England, from the perils of plague to the challenges of childbirth. The film speculates that Agnes, Shakespeare's wife, played by Jessie Buckley, encouraged William, portrayed by Paul Mescal, to move to London to pursue his dreams in the theater.
The win at TIFF has propelled "Hamnet" into the limelight as another potential Academy Award frontrunner. Chloe Zhao, who also directed the critically acclaimed "Nomadland," has once again demonstrated her storytelling prowess, this time exploring an inner civil war that people experience as they grow and mature.
The Toronto International Film Festival's People's Choice Award, selected by public audiences, is a prestigious honour. This year, "Hamnet" bested several other contenders, including Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" adaptation, "No Other Choice," a thriller from Park Chan-wook, and "Wake Up Dead Man," the latest installment of Daniel Craig's "Knives Out" franchise, which took third place.
The festival also recognised a divisive documentary about an Israeli ex-soldier's efforts to rescue his family from the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, and "No Other Choice," a thriller from Park Chan-wook, received the new International People's Choice Award.
In the past, the Toronto People's Choice Award has successfully anticipated several recent Oscar best picture winners, including "Green Book" and Chloe Zhao's "Nomadland." With its win at TIFF, "Hamnet" has certainly cemented its place among the frontrunners for the upcoming awards season.
Read also:
- Today's most impactful photographic moments
- Support for Eric Adams in The Post's Letters to the Editor on August 13, 2025
- Roosting Shark and Rambunctious Red Squirrels: Unconventional House Rental in Yorkshire Involving Aquatic Marvel, Squirrely Mayhem, and Mystical Planning Regulations
- Legal Dispute Dismissed with Humor: Supreme Court Laughs off Another Civil Matter Mislabeled as Criminal Prosecution
