Hamlet Arrives in Cinemas with Digital Dailies by Cinelab

A bold contemporary reimagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet has arrived in cinemas, with Cinelab providing the digital dailies workflow for the production.

Directed by Aneil Karia and starring Riz Ahmed, the film relocates the classic tragedy to present-day London within a British South Asian family. When Hamlet returns home following his father’s funeral, he is confronted with a shocking revelation: his uncle Claudius is set to marry his recently widowed mother, setting in motion the familiar spiral of suspicion, betrayal and revenge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXTA2CUWmsE

The film was photographed by Stuart Bentley BSC, who shot on the ARRI Alexa 35 paired with ARRI DNA Master Primes and a selection of zoom lenses. Bentley’s approach emphasised mobility and responsiveness, with much of the production captured handheld and frequently in low-light conditions. “We shot a lot of the film at night in a 360-degree environment,” Bentley explained, noting the importance of a compact camera package capable of handling challenging lighting situations.

Cinelab worked closely with the production as the Digital Dailies Lab, supporting the camera team with fast, reliable turnaround of rushes throughout the shoot. By ensuring the material was processed, prepared and delivered efficiently for editorial, the lab played a key role in keeping the production pipeline moving smoothly from set into post.

Following production, the film continued its post-production journey with colour grading by Simone Grattarola, ultimately delivering a visually distinctive interpretation of Shakespeare’s tragedy that has already been recognised at major festivals including Toronto International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival.

Produced by Left Handed Films, Storyteller Productions and JW Films, and backed by BBC Films and Universal Pictures, Hamlet is now screening in cinemas.