NOW SHOWING
Once Upon An Island Fundraiser: Hamnet
The Once Upon an Island Charitable Trust has been lucky enough to secure the inaugural screening of the highly acclaimed film 'Hamnet'. Shakespeare drew widely upon traditional narratives in his writing. Hamnet tells the story of the great storyteller himself and how his famous character 'Hamlet' came to be (or not to be). Based on snippets of 'facts' about Shakespeare's life, this particular story breathes life into 'all the corners of things we cannot know', telling the story of the often forgotten women of history, the healer, wife of Shakespeare and mother of Hamnet, Agnes.
Dress Shakespearean and expect some edible 'erbal' delights from the seasonal gardens of Awaawaroa. Doors open at 7.30pm.
All funds will support the ongoing operating cost of the Once Upon An Island Charitable Trust.
Director
Chloé Zhao (Nomadland)
Actors
Jessie Buckley • Paul Mescal • Emily Watson • Joe Alwyn • Anton Lesser
2h 06m • Rated M • Drama, Historical • UK
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Once Upon An Island Fundraiser: Hamnet
Fri 13 Feb 8:00pm
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All tickets must be prepaid online or at the counter.
Sales are subject to our cancellation policy. No phone bookings
ncp - no complimentary passes
cap - captioned for hard of hearing
What makes Hamnet such a powerful cinema experience is its quiet intensity. Chloé Zhao’s direction brings tenderness and natural beauty to the screen, while Jessie Buckley delivers a performance of remarkable depth and emotional clarity. The film invites audiences to experience grief not as tragedy alone, but as a force that transforms love into memory and meaning. Thoughtful, moving and exquisitely crafted, Hamnet is a film to be felt as much as watched — one that resonates long after the final image fades.
Film Notes
A luminous, emotionally rich portrait of love, loss and creative legacy.
Hamnet unfolds as a deeply felt reimagining of family life in Elizabethan England, centred not on fame or authorship but on the private world of Agnes and her children. The story traces everyday rituals, marriage and motherhood before turning to the profound rupture caused by the death of Hamnet, a loss that reverberates through the household and reshapes Agnes’s inner life. Rather than presenting history as grand spectacle, the film lingers on textures, silences and emotional undercurrents, allowing grief to emerge gradually and honestly.