Author Archives: Lily Matthews

1. May Half-Term at Exeter Phoenix

   May 12, 2026 12:16 pm Comments Off on May Half-Term at Exeter Phoenix

   Join us this May half-term for a range of activities and entertainment that the whole family can enjoy, from sheep solving crimes to spectacular comedy magic and a jewellery making workshop.

   

   The Sheep Detectives (PG)

   Fri 22 May - Sat 30 May | Various times

   Get ready for a baa-rilliant family adventure!

   A team of detective-novel obsessed sheep team up with kind-hearted shepherd, Hugh Jackson, to stop listening to stories and start sleuthing after a mysterious incident shakes up life on the farm.

   Hope to see ewe there! Find our screening times here >

   Family Animation Workshop

   Tue 26 May | 10am - 1pm

   Use 2D cut out animation to bring to life your very own 2D cut out character in this fun-filled all-ages workshop, led by two professional animators. This half-day course gives adults and children a chance to work together to create an animated character, coming away with a copy of your film to share with family and friends!

   Find out more here >

   

   

   Introduction to Jewellery Making: Family Workshop

   Tue 26 May | 2pm - 4.30pm

   Learn how to make your own jewellery using wire beads and crystals in this fun introductory session lead by a professional jewellery maker.

   Find out more here >

   Rabbits Out of the Hat

   Wed 27 May | 2pm

   This whimsical comedy musical is a magical extravaganza for all ages!

   Expect breathtaking magic, sensational circus and showstopper songs as these Magic Circle magicians share a spectacularly silly and spellbinding story about being yourself no matter what.

   Find out more here >

   

   

   Art Explorers: Family workshop

   Thu 28 May | 10.30am - 1pm

   Go on an art adventure and get creative in this fun family session. Explore both outdoors and in the studio working with a range of drawing and painting materials and techniques. You will be creating some large scale collaborative artworks as well as some individual pieces with a professional artist and educator.

   Find out more here >

    

   There's something for everyone at Exeter Phoenix! Click here to see all upcoming family events.

2. Looking Back on our Q&A with Director Mark Jenkin

   April 24, 2026 1:04 pm Comments Off on Looking Back on our Q&A with Director Mark Jenkin

   Photograph by Jack Oliver

   Cornish filmmaker Mark Jenkin is currently on tour with his latest film Rose of Nevada. The film came to Studio 74 on Tue 14 Apr for a special preview screening followed by a Q&A. Jenkin discussed his work and filmmaking process with our Film Programmer, Claire Horrocks, and took questions from the audience.

   Rose of Nevada tells the story of two young men (played by George Mackay and Callum Turner) who are offered a job working on a fishing boat. What the men don’t know is that the vessel is the 'Rose of Nevada', which was lost at sea with its crew thirty years earlier. The film is a ghostly tale that explores time travel in a unique and original way.

   The film was shot in Cornwall on Jenkin’s vintage Bolex H16 camera using 16mm film. The camera has to be manually wound every twenty-seven seconds, and no sound is recorded whilst filming. All dialogue and sound is added in post-production, with the actors recording their lines in a studio. Jenkin described how he returns to the film locations months after the shoot with his tape-recorder and headphones to gather sound for the film. He mixes the soundscapes himself as well as creating the film’s music. The production of his films is an intricate and deeply artistic one, with Jenkin taking a leading role in several different aspects of the creative process.

   The cinematography is striking and uses saturated colour and extreme close-ups to tell the story. The scenes that take place out at sea are particularly captivating and immersive with crashing waves, clanking chains and cramped interiors. All of Jenkin’s films are deeply connected to Cornwall, both through setting, and their exploration of Cornish identity and history. Rose of Nevada shows us the gritty reality of the fishing industry and the extreme, sometimes life or death, conditions on the boat.

   

   The film begins with a montage of close-ups of the rusty old fishing vessel before we cut to a long-shot of the little red boat moored in the harbour. Red is the colour of blood, passion and danger, and for the characters, the boat is a both a life-line and a ghost-ship. The boat is bright and bold, making it stand-out against the subdued tones of the decaying town. Liam (played by Callum Turner) is given a bright red cap by a local, aesthetically linking him to the ship and to the past. Once the two men are transported back in time, the colour palette of film becomes increasingly vibrant and dreamlike.

   

   The supernatural elements of the story contrast the difference between the ghost-town of the modern day and the thriving community of the early nineties. In the post-screening Q&A, Jenkin discussed his time travel media influences highlighting a love of the Back to the Future franchise and the TV show Quantum Leap, which he binged watched while developing the film. Jenkin also laughed about having bought a quantum physics textbook during development that remains ‘mostly unread’. The film is a subtle and ambiguous take on the time travel genre. There is an eerie and uncanny quality to the film as it explores the idea of the loss of community, and the links between the past and the present.

   It was lovely to host Mark Jenkin at Exeter Phoenix and hear him discuss his filmmaking career at this sold-out preview.

   Claire Horrocks, Film Programmer at Studio 74, said ‘it was great to welcome Mark back to our independent cinema and get our audience connecting with his film.’

   Rose of Nevada is a film best experienced on the big screen with its intricate soundscape and textural quality. And where better to see it than at Exeter’s home of independent cinema!

   Rose of Nevada is screening at Studio 74 from Fri 24 Apr. For screening times click here.

   Studio 74 regularly hosts Q&A screenings including an upcoming screening of Prevenge followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Alice Lowe and Comedian Mike Wozniak in collaboration with Exeter Comedy Festival.

3. Looking back on Two Short Nights Film Festival 2026

   March 25, 2026 11:48 am Comments Off on Looking back on Two Short Nights Film Festival 2026

   At the beginning of March, we hosted the 24th edition of Two Short Nights Film Festival! Film fans, aspiring filmmakers and industry professionals alike flocked to Exeter Phoenix for two days of screenings, awards ceremonies and creative networking! The festival also welcomed representatives from Screen Devon, BFI Network and Screen Cornwall.

   This year boasted a record number of attendees, welcoming nearly 1000 admissions across the events! Over 70 films were shown over nine screenings, including the Exeter Phoenix Commissions Premiere, the 48 Hour Film Challenge Premiere, and a variety of shorts from around the globe. As part of the festival, we were also able to experience Libby Bove's wonderful installation, The Museum of Roadside Magic. Libby Bove was the winner of 2025’s Artists Moving Image Commission and her film ROADWYTCH, which builds on the lore of the Museum of Roadside Magic, screened at this year’s commission premiere.

   

   

   Libby's Bove's installation The Museum of Roadside Magic

   This year, Exeter Phoenix partnered with D&C Film to offer one Devon or Cornwall based filmmaker access funding and in-kind support for a short film. Four fresh and intriguing pitches were brought to the panel at the festival. The Commission Pitch was awarded to North Devon filmmaker Lily Bennett for her project Crooked. Currently studying with the National Film and Television School (NFTS), Bennett impressed the panel with her original storytelling and distinctive use of Devon as a setting.

   Each year the festival ends with an awards ceremony where the finest films are awarded with hand-made trophies created by local artists. This year’s artist Marson Wu, an illustrator from Taiwan who lives and works in Exeter, created three beautiful cyanotype banners, which the winners were thrilled to take home! Exeter Phoenix’s own youth arts group Freefall also created a fantastic award which was given to the group’s favourite film. The group picked Summer Film School Legends' film Mother's Love.

   

   Awards created by Marson Wu and Freefall youth arts group

   The festival’s annual 48 Hour Film Challenge Premiere was as well received as ever, with a sold-out screening jam-packed with exciting short films! The winners of the challenge were Share Films with their film The Jaffa Network, making it a three year winning streak for the team! Second Place went to the winner of the Freefall award, Mother’s Love, and third place went to TQ Films with their film Blood Sugar. You can watch the all the shorts featured on Vimeo here.

   The Audience Choice Award went to Exeter Phoenix Commission Youth Club, directed by first time filmmaker Tiana Linden. The film is about a youth club organiser who is desperate to empower local young people, but the teens see her for the bullied kid she once was.

   The Best of The Fest award was selected by a panel of film experts and presented to Arsalan Motavali for Cameraman. Motavali has had a long-standing artistic relationship with Exeter Phoenix. Accepting the award, Arsalan said: “It means a great deal considering how much Exeter Phoenix and the team there helped me in the early stages of my career. I have made life long collaborators and friends thanks to the team and festival.”

   

   

   Creative Networking at The Mermaid

   The festival also featured an industry networking event at our sister venue The Mermaid, and a lively festival after party in Exeter Phoenix’s Cafe Bar, which made for a great closing act to a brilliant couple of days.

   Festival Director Luke Hagan said: “This year it was a privilege to welcome such a wide range of brilliant films and connect them with a brave and curious audience. We really felt a shift – not only a lively industry atmosphere, but a genuine hunger from audiences to watch, celebrate and absorb short films on the big screen.”

   Festival sponsor Lee Morgan from D&C Film added: “I love how it embraces all people from those established filmmakers to the emerging talent and even youth arts groups. It’s just one reflection of the impact and ongoing joy the event always creates.”

   This year’s festival has been one of the biggest and best of the bunch, with a fantastic range of talent from filmmakers both local and world wide!

   Feel inspired? You can get involved in next year's Two Short Nights Film Festival! Film submissions will be opening soon, or if you’re more of a critic, why not join our pre-selection panel? Keep an eye on our Creative Opportunities page for updates on Two Short Nights 2027!

   All photographs by Alex Toze

4. Guest Blog: A Review of Bulk and Director Ben Wheatley’s Q&A

   February 18, 2026 8:14 am Comments Off on Guest Blog: A Review of Bulk and Director Ben Wheatley’s Q&A

   Photo by Jack Oliver

   Recently at Studio 74 we had the pleasure of hosting a special screening of Ben Wheatley’s experimental 2025 film Bulk followed by a live Q&A with the director himself. Wheatley is known for film such as Sightseers, High Rise and Free Fire. The amazing D&CFilm have written a brilliant review of the event which we are very excited to share with you!

   Low-fi sci-fi | Ben Wheatley and Bulk beguile in Exeter

   By Rocco Plaja Morgan, originally posted by D&CFilm

   Ben Wheatley was at Studio 74 at the Exeter Phoenix as part of a tour for his newest film Bulk. The film tour has proved a resounding success, selling out in multiple cinemas around the UK and Ireland. The same was true for its Exeter screening, as Studio 74 hosted a packed house for Ben’s visit to Devon.

   Literally, not straightforward

   Before presenting his film to the Exeter audience, Ben kindly gave an interview from the road with D&CFilm. While hearing Ben speak about his filmmaking process is interesting and valuable in its own right, it has also provided some beneficial insight into the intentions and goals Ben had when making Bulk – a film which is, literally, not straightforward.

   Interdimensional adventure

   Bulk is a multiversal low-fi sci-fi, travelling to numerous beguiling landscapes and locations that don’t try to hide their independent edge. The audience’s main conduit into the story is lead Sam Riley’s character Corey Harlan, who is given the task of figuring his way through this interdimensional adventure at the beginning of the film. Aiding in this journey is co-lead Alexandra Maria Lara’s Aclima Benton, who primarily serves as a guide through the kaleidoscopic reality-bending quest. The quest in question? Finding Mark Monero’s Aton Chambers, the billionaire who has made the journey possible. Noah Taylor also provides supporting fun to these escapades with multiple scene-stealing eccentricities in different forms.

   Handwritten

   Straight after the screening of Bulk, with the handmade experience fresh in the mind – thanks to the cast and crews’ names read to camera by Maria Lara, alongside further end credits depicting Wheatley’s handwritten filmmaking notes – the spectacle was rounded off with a lively Q&A.

   Invigorated

   Starting off with a conversation hosted by Aidan Power, and followed by audience questions spurred on by the promise of gifts from the filmmaker, Ben provided valuable personal insight and depth in his responses. The topics discussed ranged from his inspiration behind making Bulk, his filmmaking process, and advice for young aspiring filmmakers. His impassioned answer to this latter topic was a particular highlight of the afternoon, culminating in a round of applause from the invigorated audience.

   The multiversal journey

   In the Q&A, Ben also mentioned how he wanted Bulk to help the audience along the multiversal journey at certain points. However, I would say that the audience was conclusively on board this journey from beginning to end, as the attendance and engagement for this screening and Q&A proved an evident win for all involved, from artist to arthouse to audience.

   

   Studio 74 is Exeter’s home of independent cinema and is dedicated to bringing the you brilliant films along with special events including Q&As. We were thrilled to have been able to hear Ben Wheatley talk about his work and we can’t wait to host our next filmmaker Q&A!

   Check out the full Studio 74 programme here.

5. No Other Choice And The Unique Cinema of Park Chan-wook

   February 9, 2026 1:51 pm Comments Off on No Other Choice And The Unique Cinema of Park Chan-wook

   Park Chan-wook is one of those rare filmmakers who creates hit after hit. He is among a handful of directors who have had a profound influence on modern cinema.

   If you’re unfamiliar with his work, Park is a South Korean writer and director who has made many acclaimed films including Oldboy (2003), The Handmaiden (2016) and Decision to Leave (2022). Park’s latest film No Other Choice is receiving widespread praise from both critics and audiences alike. No Other Choice is screening at Studio 74 until Thu 12 Feb, so there’s no better time to take a look back at Park’s fascinating film career.

   Throughout the early 2000s Park released three narratively unconnected films that all explore the idea of revenge, which are known as the vengeance trilogy. Violence and death play a key role in all Park’s films and he often explores the morality around violent acts. This usuallly means plenty of blood and gore on screen! Cultural taboos such as sexual desire and human cruelty are also examined in his work. You may be thinking from this description that his films are a grim and grisly watch! However, Park’s films are also punctuated with a deliciously dark sense of humour and biting cultural satire. His work is deeply human and the characters’ inter-personal connections are well established, which helps to contextualise the gruesome acts that follow. His films have endured and become widely appreciated because of the human truth behind the ultra-violence.

   

   Familial Love Motivates Violent Acts in No Other Choice

   Park burst onto the international film scene with his cult-classic Oldboy. The film is the second installment in the vengeance trilogy after 2002’s Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. Oldboy is the story of a man named Dae-su who is kidnapped and locked in a room. After being imprisoned for fifteen years, he is released and uses his new found freedom to plot a bloody revenge against his unknown captors. The film, like all of Park’s work, is made with distinct cinematography and choreographed fight scenes. Perhaps the most famous scene in the film is the impressive long-take fight scene set in a corridor. Oldboy is considered a classic and has often been cited as one of the greatest films of all time.

   Filmmaking is, of course, a collaborative process and Park has built several long-term creative partnerships. Park works with an incredible team, who help to shape the remarkable and expertly crafted style of the films. They are precisely shot with striking framing, and perfectly paced editing. The films are also visually stunning with a dramatic use of colour and brilliant set and costume design.

   

   The Beautiful Framing and Set Design of No Other Choice

   In 2009, Park released his vampire film, Thirst, which was very loosely based on the novel Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola. The film features a stand-out performance from Song Kang-ho, an actor who is known for his collaborations with Bong Joon-ho, another celebrated South Korean filmmaker. You might remember Song for his critically acclaimed performance in the Oscar-sweeping film Parasite. Park’s films always include outstanding performances, and in Thirst, Song expertly embodies the complexities of the priest. The film explores morality and Catholic guilt, but, once again, there is an underlying theme of love and human connection. The characters may be brutal and, literally, bloodthirsty but they haven’t completely lost their humanity. We understand them through the emotional connection they share.

   In the last decade, Park has released two of his most acclaimed films, The Handmaiden (2016) and Decision to Leave (2022), which have been enjoyed by a wide audience. The Handmaiden is based on the British crime novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. The film is highly praised as both a queer classic and an expertly conceived crime drama.

   Decision to Leave is a modern take on the timeless formula of the noir thriller. The film has all the genre staples of a mystery: a femme fatale, an insomniac detective and a plot full of shocking revelations and twists. However, the film is also a philosophical exploration of the theme of love.

   

   Park on set

   In his latest film No Other Choice, Park takes a darkly satirical look at the job market. It’s a film that depicts the viciousness that comes from an environment where everyone is seen as a competitor. It’s a very politically relevant film, however, it’s messaging is deftly delivered through dark humour and hilarious hyperbole. It makes a wonderful companion piece to Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, as both films tackle our changing economic landscape through satire, deadly plots and ultra-violence.

   Throughout his career, Park has challenged his viewers to see the humanity in the most brutal situations, to laugh at the macabre and to question the morality of his characters. Whether we are watching a tale of revenge, a neo-noir or a social satire, we will leave the cinema reflecting on the themes of his films.

   Park Chan-wook is one of the most innovative writer and directors working today and No Other Choice is his latest masterpiece.

6. H is for Hawk: A Q&A with Tim Faulkner, the Film’s Devon-Based Location Manager

   February 2, 2026 10:39 am Comments Off on H is for Hawk: A Q&A with Tim Faulkner, the Film’s Devon-Based Location Manager

   A Location Manager is crucial to a film’s production. Their work includes scouting for the best locations, and working closely with the director and production team to realise the creative vision of the project.

   Devon-based Tim Faulkner was the Location Manager for H is for Hawk, a film rooted in its lush landscapes. We had the pleasure of asking him a few questions about his work. In this Q&A, Tim tells us about how he chooses locations, his love of Devon, and what it was like working with a bird of prey on set…

   How did you become a location manager?

   I started my career as a general practice surveyor in London. I managed a large portfolio of property but at the same time nurtured a keen interest in film and video making. During this time, I met someone who was a location manager and discovered my dream job. I could combine my knowledge of property and love of the screen. So I made the decision to leave my surveying job. I spent a while assisting location managers and being a runner on various productions, to gain experience. At that time London was booming with TV Ad production, so it wasn’t long before I had my first location manager job.

   What do you enjoy about your work?

   Seeing a script come to life on the screen. No job is the same, every day is different, there are always interesting locations to discover and new people to meet. I work with great people, most of the time, and love the challenges filming throws up, which we overcome as a team.

   Where did you begin when scouting for locations for H is for Hawk?

   It began with a good read of the script. Then a meeting with the director and designer to pool ideas, look at references and discuss the tone of the film. A lot of H is for Hawk was set in Helen’s college house so that was the first location I started to look for. At the same time I started researching various locations where we might be able to film the hawk flying.

   

   Claire Foy and her co-star Mabel the hawk

    

   Did having a bird of prey on set affect your decision making at all?

   Yes, I had to find a house (and location owner!) which could accommodate Mabel the hawk for several days. The hawk was well trained however there were some ground rules when on set; minimum distraction, no yellow coloured items including clothing and no smoking. I had to bear this in mind for each location where Mabel would be with us and find options which could guarantee this.

   As a Devon-based person, are you influenced by Devon landscapes?

   Of course! Devon offers a range of beautiful, dramatic and unusual landscapes, so when I am scouting elsewhere I always say ‘I know the perfect location in Devon'.

   Are there any locations in the film that you are particularly pleased with?

   There is an estate in south Wales where we managed to find several of our flying locations. Not only did they look great on screen, they all looked different so they could represent a number of places in our story, which saved moving each day.

   

   Mabel on set

    

   It was lovely to chat with Tim about his work! It’s fascinating to find out how Mabel the hawk’s presence affected the shoot, and to hear Tim talk so passionately about Devon. We were delighted to have been able to hear Tim’s unique perspective on this important role on a film set, and we hope to see more of his work soon!

   H is for Hawk is screening at Studio 74 until Thu 05 Feb. Click here for times and booking.

7. Film Awards Season Frontrunners at Studio 74

   January 20, 2026 10:27 am Comments Off on Film Awards Season Frontrunners at Studio 74

   It’s time to roll out the red carpet… it’s awards season once again! The annual celebration of the most exciting, daring and breathtaking films of the year. And the perfect time to speculate on who will be the next winners. In that spirit, we invite you to take a closer look at some of this year’s front runners.

   Studio 74 has already screened some of the year’s most popular picks, and there’s still time to catch plenty more winners and nominees at Exeter’s home of independent cinema!

   Hamnet recently won Best Motion Picture in the Drama category at the Golden Globe awards. The film is a fictional account of the lives of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes. Chloé Zhao, who directed Hamnet, is one of only three women whose films have been awarded an Oscar for Best Picture. Zhao’s film Nomadland won the award back in 2021. Hamnet is sweeping up awards, and winners at the Golden Globes are often front runners in other prestigious award ceremonies. Some have wondered if Hamnet could be in line to win a Best Picture Oscar!

   Jessie Buckley’s emotional performance as Agnes in Hamnet is one of the most notable of the year. After already securing Best Actress for the performance at the Golden Globes, she has become a hot favourite for the Oscars. Buckley is a versatile performer who has starred in a variety of acclaimed films including Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things with fellow awards nominee Jesse Plemons. You may also have seen her starring alongside Olivia Coleman in Wicked Little Letters which screened at Studio 74 back in 2023.

   

   Jessie Buckley as Agnes in Hamnet

   However, all of the acting categories are fiercely contested this year with many stand-out performances. Some of the actresses nominated include Jennifer Lawrence for her intense performance in Die My Love, where she plays a woman experiencing postpartum psychosis. Emma Stone was also nominated for her masterful portrayal of a business woman kidnapped by conspiracy theorists in Bugonia.

   Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve is also causing a buzz with her remarkable performance in Sentimental Value. The film is directed by Joachim Trier, who is most famous for his 2021 smash-hit The Worst Person in the World. Sentimental Value is the story of a successful stage actress and her sister who are reunited with their estranged father. The film has a fabulous cast which includes Elle Fanning and the legendary Stellan Skarsgård. Renate Reinsve, who also starred in The Worst Person in the World, plays the lead character Nora, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas plays her sister. The film is notable for its great performances with all four lead actors nominated for accolades at the Golden Globes. The award for Best Supporting Actor went to Stellan Skarsgård for his portrayal of the estranged father. The film was nominated for seven Golden Globe awards in total, but, perhaps its greatest achievement so far has been winning the coveted Cannes Grand Prix award.

   

   Renate Reinsve & Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in Sentimental Value

   Timothée Chalamet was another winner at the Golden Globes for his performance in Marty Supreme, which has been described as a ‘sort-of sports biopic’. The film is the story of Marty Mauser, a hustler turned ping-pong player. It is directed by Josh Safdie, who is most famous for Uncut Gems, which he co-directed with his brother Benny Safdie. We look forward to showing Marty Supreme at Studio 74 from Fri 23 Jan.

   Leonard DiCaprio has also been a front runner for his performance in One Battle After Another, which is the latest film from the legendary Paul Thomas Anderson. The cast are receiving particular awards attention with Chase Infiniti, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor all nominated for their performances, and Taylor taking home a Golden Globe. Will One Battle After Another be the film to sweep the Oscars this year?

   

   Timothée Chalamet in Marty Supreme

   The Secret Agent is another intriguing film with a standout performance from lead actor Wagna Moura, who won a Golden Globe and a Cannes Film Festival award for his performance. The Secret Agent is a political thriller set in Brazil in 1977, which follows a technology researcher who becomes a target of the dictatorship (screening at Studio 74 from Fri 27 Feb). The film won the Golden Globe for the best non-English language film.

   

   Wagna Moura in The Secret Agent

   Another prominent nominee was the brilliant It Was Just An Accident, a thriller set in Iran. The film received rave reviews and won the prestigious film award, the Palme d'Or at Cannes. The film is the first Iranian film to be nominated for certain awards including Best Motion Picture at the Golden Globes. We are proud to have shown a preview of this groundbreaking film at Studio 74 in October.

   Also nominated in the non-English language category was The Voice of Hind Rajab, which is screening at Studio 74 from Fri 23 Jan. The film follows a group of workers at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society who receive an emergency call from a six-year-old girl who is trapped in a car under fire. The film is written and directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, a Tunisian filmmaker who created the powerful 2023 film Four Daughters. The Voice of Hind Rajab uses the same striking blend of documentary and narrative fiction as Four Daughters and won the Silver Lion award at Venice Film Festival.

   

   The Voice of Hind Rajab

   Another exciting work that was nominated is the South Korean film No Other Choice. The film is the latest production from acclaimed director Park-Chan Wook, who is a known for masterpieces such as Oldboy, The Handmaiden and The Decision to Leave. Park is known for his highly-stylised films which are often ultra-violent, darkly-comedic and tackle taboo subject matter. No Other Choice is a satire that follows an unemployed man, who is desperate to land a job, and develops a ruthless plan to eliminate his competition. The film was nominated for the Golden Lion at Venice film festival and is a likely front runner in upcoming awards ceremonies. No Other Choice will screen at Studio 74 from Fri 06 Feb.

   Sirāt has also been nominated for the non-English language award at the Golden Globes, and won the Jury Prize at Cannes film festival. The film played at Studio 74 in November as part of the French Film Festival. Another film that featured in the French Film Festival programme was Nouvelle Vague, which is director Richard Linklater’s love letter to Jean-Luc Godard’s classic French new wave film Breathless.

   

   Lee Byung-hun and Lee Sung-min in No Other Choice

   Studio 74 is dedicated to screening the best new releases, and we are very excited to be able to show some of the most exciting awards contenders this year. From the quiet tragedies to laugh-out-loud comedies, we’re here to take you through awards season and ensure you have access to the best of the bunch! So grab your popcorn and get ready for some amazing cinema!

   Check out what’s on at Studio 74 here.

8. The History of Hamnet

   January 12, 2026 11:29 am Comments Off on The History of Hamnet

   Hamnet is a film that has been making waves with both movie-lovers and Shakespeare enthusiasts alike. The film is based on the book of the same name by Maggie O’Farrell, which is a mythologised tale of the death of Shakespeare’s son Hamnet, which leads to the writing of Hamlet.

   With Hamnet screening at Studio 74, we are taking a look at the true story of the Shakespeare family which inspired this fascinating work…

   We all know about Shakespeare the playwright. The bard in an Elizabethan ruff with a golden earring, who authored nearly 40 plays and more than 100 sonnets. However, little is known of Shakespeare’s personal life and much is left to speculation. Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway is also an elusive figure, but some details of their lives are known through historical documentation.

   Stratford-Upon-Avon was Shakespeare’s birthplace and Anne Hathaway is believed to have grown up in a small village not far away. Shakespeare and Hathaway were married in November 1582 when Anne was twenty-six and Shakespeare was eighteen. Six months later, Hathaway gave birth to their first child, Susanna, and due to the closeness of the dates, it is widely believed that Hathaway was pregnant before the wedding. This has lead some to theorise that Shakespeare was pressured into marriage by family members. However, there is no material evidence to support this.

   

   In 1585 Hathaway gave birth to Twins Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died tragically at the age of eleven of unknown causes. However, it is possible that he died from an outbreak of bubonic plague.

   We do not know what kind of influence Hamnet’s death had on Shakespeare’s written work. The name of Shakespeare’s tragic Prince Hamlet is sometimes cited as a possible link. The names Hamnet and Hamlet were thought to be interchangeable in Tudor times. However, the similarity of the names could be a mere coincidence.

   Fast forward to 2020 and Maggie O’Farrell releases her multi-award-winning novel, Hamnet. O’Farrell was intrigued by the Hamnet/Hamlet name parallel, and, in her story, Hamnet’s death is key to the creation of Shakespeare’s great tragedy. However, the story also focuses heavily on the character of Anne Hathaway, known here as Agnes. Agnes has supernatural powers and a profound connection to nature. She adores her family and the book details the grief she feels at her son’s death.

   

   The film Hamnet is directed by Chloe Zhao, who is best known for her Oscar-winning film Nomadland. The screenplay was co-written by Maggie O’Farrell and Chloe Zhao, and features a tour-de-force performance from Jessie Buckley. Buckley’s portrayal of Agnes has made her an awards favourite this year. Paul Mescal also stars as Shakespeare and gives a powerful, emotional performance.

   Hamnet is a blend of historical events, and O’Farrell and Zhao’s own spin on the lives of Shakespeare and Anne. The film has received widespread critical acclaim and has already won and been nominated for many prestigious awards. There have been many stories told of Shakespeare’s life, from the romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love to the side-splitting farce Bill, but Hamnet is a story of love and grief. It is a timeless, human story of family and parental love.

   

   Hamnet (12A) is screening at Studio 74 until Thu 22 Jan.