Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet Becomes BAFTA's Most-Nominated Film By Female Director

When Hamnet began taking shape, it did not look like a film headed for records or headlines. It was restrained, inward-looking, and deeply sad. A story built around silence and the spaces between people. That is what makes its impact striking.

Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet has earned 11 BAFTA nominations, making it the most-nominated film by a female director in the history of the awards. 

A Story Focused on What Comes After

Based on O’Farrell’s 2020 novel, Hamnet looks at the Shakespeare family through the death of their son, a loss often linked to the creation of Hamlet. The film focuses on the aftermath. How grief settles into daily life and how it pushes people apart.

Jessie Buckley plays Agnes, a mother who carries her grief openly. Paul Mescal’s William Shakespeare responds differently, withdrawing into work and distance. Their performances earned BAFTA nominations for lead actress and supporting actor. Emily Watson was also recognised for her role as Shakespeare’s mother.

Zhao’s Doubt and Decision

For Zhao, the offer arrived during a difficult period. After directing Eternals in 2021, she described feeling creatively uncertain and having not made another film. Hamnet felt risky. The story centered on motherhood, a subject she had not previously explored in depth and one she said touched unresolved personal issues.

She was not immediately sure she could take it on. What convinced her was the team. The producers’ trust and shared commitment made the project feel possible. 

A Different Way of Making a Film

The film was shot away from London in remote forest locations to reflect 17th-century England. The shoot lasted 46 days and came with logistical challenges, including the lack of surviving architecture from Shakespeare’s time.

On set, Zhao encouraged practices rarely seen on large productions, including guided meditations and weekly group dances to release emotional strain. As producer Nicolas Gonda explained, the environment had to match the story. A film about love could not be made in a harsh or transactional way.

Reception and Recognition

Once Hamnet began screening, the response was strong. The film won the Toronto International Film Festival’s Audience Award. At the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Jane Fonda called it a perfect film and said it reminded her why she values filmmaking.

Terrence Malick also responded after watching the film. In a message shared with the producers, he described feeling shaken and deeply moved, praising the film’s tenderness.

What the BAFTA Moment Represents

At the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, Hamnet received nominations across major categories, including Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, acting, score, costume design, makeup and hair, and production design. 

This year, 25 per cent of nominated films were directed by women. Hamnet stood out because it reminds us what cinema can still do, when it allows space for feelings rather than spectacle.