The stage is set for another Irish triumph at the Academy Awards as HAMNET, starring powerhouse performers Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, claimed the coveted People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival this week. This prestigious honor has historically served as a reliable predictor of Oscar success, with previous winners like CHARIOTS OF FIRE, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE all going on to capture Academy Award nominations.
Director Chloé Zhao has crafted something extraordinary in her adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed 2020 novel, transporting audiences to 16th century England to witness one of literature’s most devastating personal tragedies. The film centers on the death of William Shakespeare’s 11-year-old son Hamnet, but this isn’t merely another biographical portrait of the Bard. Instead, Zhao has made the bold choice to focus the narrative through the eyes of Agnes, Shakespeare’s wife, brilliantly portrayed by Kerry native Jessie Buckley, who infuses the film with remarkable warmth and emotional depth.
Paul Mescal, the Kildare-born actor who has rapidly become one of Ireland’s most compelling screen presences, takes on the formidable challenge of embodying Shakespeare himself. Yet as festival organizers noted, this Shakespeare isn’t presented as an untouchable literary genius but as a real man whose creative brilliance was fundamentally shaped by domestic tragedy and personal loss. The film boldly rejects the historical tendency to dismiss child mortality in the 16th century as commonplace, instead examining how such profound grief would have impacted both the playwright’s work and his marriage.
What emerges is a deeply human story that challenges our understanding of one of history’s greatest writers while showcasing the extraordinary talents of two Irish actors at the height of their powers. Buckley, whose career has been marked by fearless performances across stage and screen, finds new depths in Agnes, a woman whose story has too often been overshadowed by her husband’s literary legacy. Meanwhile, Mescal continues his remarkable ascent following his breakthrough in NORMAL PEOPLE, proving his ability to inhabit complex historical figures with the same emotional authenticity that made him a household name.
The Toronto victory positions HAMNET as a serious contender for the upcoming awards season, with both lead performances likely to generate significant buzz among Academy voters. As the film prepares for its November 27 theatrical release, it represents not just another potential Irish success story at the Oscars, but a thoughtful exploration of how personal tragedy can transform artistic genius, told through the lens of a marriage tested by unimaginable loss.
Gothic drama LIES WE TELL is now on Netflix.
With powerful performances by Agnes O`Casey and David Wilmot, the Irish drama takes Sheridan Le Fanu`s classic novel UNCLE SILAS and transforms it into something urgent and vital for our moment.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
When Colin Farrell and Jessie Buckley finally sat down together, they were strangers—but within moments, the conversation became profound.
Both Irish actors are carrying the weight of devastating roles this year: Farrell as a gambling addict spiraling in Macau in BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER, Buckley as Agnes Shakespeare grieving her son in HAMNET.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
From FAIR CITY to KNIVES OUT! Daryl McCormack shines in the new #netflix film WAKE UP DEAD MAN.
McCormack just wrapped Netflix`s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE opposite Jack Lowden, Emma Corrin, and Olivia Colman. Talk about range: trading viral grift for Jane Austen elegance. Same actor, different century, wildly different moral compass.
More Daryl at irishfilmtv.com.
Eve Hewson brings ghosts to life in Noah Baumbach`s JAY KELLY.
From her breakout in THIS MUST BE THE PLACE to BAD SISTERS and beyond, she`s now haunting George Clooney as Daphne—a face from the past that forces a movie star to confront who he became while chasing fame.
More Eve at irishfilmtv.com.
When the past catches up with you in Amsterdam 🌊
Ciarán Hinds and Lesley Manville star in MIDWINTER BREAK—a retired couple`s winter getaway becomes a reckoning with memories they`ve tried to outrun for decades, in theatres Feb 20.
New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
James Nesbitt is back in Harlan Coben`s twisted universe. 🔍
RUN AWAY drops January 1st on #Netflix — and this one`s personal.
When Simon (Nesbitt) finally finds his missing daughter strung out in a city park, it`s supposed to be a second chance. Instead, it`s the beginning of a nightmare.
New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
Are you loving STEVE on #Netflix?
Legendary war photographer Sir Don McCullin spent days on set capturing behind-the-scenes magic from this raw Netflix drama starring Cillian Murphy about a head teacher fighting to save his reform school while battling his own demons.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🏆 RIVALS just scooped the International Emmy for Best Drama Series!
The Disney+ hit starring Irish talents Aidan Turner and Victoria Smurfit brought home the gold for this deliciously scandalous 1980s romp through the world of wealthy media types.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
From THE COMMITMENTS to THE TUDORS to KIN, @mariadoylekennedy has built a career that defies categories.
In a brand new interview with The Irish Examiner, Maria opens up about the artists and art that shaped her creative journey—from her Dublin roots to international screens and stages.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
🎭 From Shakespeare to a Beatle: Paul Mescal is doing the impossible!
Oscar-nominated Irish actor Paul Mescal is taking on TWO iconic roles that prove he`s one of the most fearless actors working today.
Watch Paul`s latest interview at irishfilmtv.com.
Kerry Condon`s brief but powerful performance in TRAIN DREAMS is pitch perfect.
She inhabits her character with quiet competence, moving through a male-dominated world with both caution and grace.
Watch now on @netflix!
🎬 HAMNET stars to receive Vanguard Award at the Palm Springs International Film Awards!
A stunning meditation on love`s fragility and art`s power to transform suffering into transcendence. This is Irish talent at its absolute finest on the world stage.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Netflix just quietly dropped a crime thriller you`ve been sleeping on, and Brendan Gleeson`s performance alone makes it mandatory viewing.
MR MERCEDES, Stephen King`s dark detective series that somehow flew under the radar, is finally streaming – and it`s everything fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers have been craving.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Andrew Scott is about to steal another movie and we`re absolutely here for it! 🔍
The trailer for WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY has dropped, and our beloved Irish actor is joining Daniel Craig`s Benoit Blanc for what looks like the most deliciously twisted instalment yet.
Scott plays bestselling author Lee Ross, one of several suspects in a seemingly impossible murder that rocks a small town`s religious community.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
From GLADIATOR II`s arena to the quiet forests of Maine collecting folk songs on wax cylinders—Paul Mescal`s latest role in THE HISTORY OF SOUND might be his most vulnerable yet.
Now on @amazonprime, the film follows Lionel, a shy musician from a Kentucky farm in the 1910s, who meets David White (Josh O`Connor) at the New England Conservatory.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
