Grand Theft Hamlet | Creating in Times of Adversity
CineRPG had the great honour to introduce 'Grand Theft Hamlet' to the audience of Film Bath Festival earlier this year. This article is a short overview of the documentary, and why we think GTH is one of the most insightful films about the power of creativity in times of adverstity.
GRAND THEFT HAMLET - IN CINEMAS FROM FRIDAY 6TH DECEMBER
(see list of screening venues + Q&A here)
Synopsis: January 2021. The UK is in its 3rd lockdown and all entertainment venues remain closed. For theatre actors Sam and Mark, the future looks bleak.
As the pandemic drags on, Mark -single and childless -is increasingly socially isolated, while Sam panics about how he is going to support his young family.
They spend their days in the online digital world of Grand Theft Auto and when they stumble across a theatre, they suddenly have an idea to stage a full production of Hamlet within the game.
This film charts their ridiculous, hilarious and moving adventure as they battle violent griefers and discover surprising truths about life, friendship and the enduring power of Shakespeare.
Source: Tull Stories (UK/Ireland distributor)
The two-hour documentary, entirely shot in-game (GTA Online) using machinima technique, is a celebration of the untamed creative spirit of its makers, gathering cyber-mischiefs as part of their virtual theatre production – sharing every hurdle, doubt, and moment of real-life gravity in the midst of intrusive gunfights. The audience laughed heartily, rooted deeply for the team, empathised with the real-life challenges of Covid-19, and cheered for every achievement made by Sam and his crew – it was joyful, emotional, and profound.
Moreover, the documentary reminds us that art gives us purpose - encouraging us to invest our time, energy and focus in creating meaning; more especially during times of hardship, insecurity, doubt, uncertainty, and human tragedy. It highlights that the root of the human condition lies in our inherent need to create, connect, share, contribute, and tell stories that reflect our own experiences.
Interview of the filmmakers at SXSW 2024
GTH, through the near-impossible ambition of bringing Hamlet to GTA, is an honest and comforting reminder that creativity and social connection will always find a way...
The screening was followed by a conversation between with Matt Emeny (Bath theatre director / producer at Calf 2 Cow), discussing the film’s themes, the many ways creatives adapted to lockdown restrictions, as well as the various interpretations of Shakespeare’s work across different mediums and genres.
In conclusion, we cannot recommend GTH highly enough and strongly encourage all UK and Ireland exhibitors to schedule a screening of this remarkable documentary. We are confident the film will resonate with a wide and diverse audience, bringing people together while offering an opportunity to reflect on our shared experiences during lockdown - how we all had to adjust to world of resitrictions, found new ways to create and express our voices, and sought meaningful connections along the way...
The film is distributed by Tull Stories (UK/Ireland) until it will find global streaming access via Mubi in early 2025.
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Stephen Saito
Leslie Felperin
