Great Directors: Jane Campion single work   column  
Issue Details: First known date: 2002... 2002 Great Directors: Jane Campion
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Jane Campion is Australasia’s leading auteur director. As recipient of the Palme d’Or (1993), the Silver Lion (1990) and an Academy Award (1994), she is also one of the most successful female directors in the world.  These statements are not made innocently. They are intended to draw attention to issues of nationality, of auteurism and art cinema, and of gender. In relation to these issues, Jane Campion is the subject of extensive critical discussion. The Piano (1993) – her most successful film, both critically and commercially – was the catalyst for debates about what constitutes ‘national cinema’ and ‘women’s cinema’. In the case of the former, the genesis of the film and the mix of creative personnel involved proved problematic: the film was funded by a French company, Ciby 2000; the script – developed with Australian government funding through the Australian Film Commission – was set in New Zealand; the director was New Zealand-born but Australian-trained; it was produced by an Australian (Jan Chapman); the stars were two Americans (Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel) and one New Zealander (Anna Paquin); and it was filmed on location using a New Zealand crew and local extras.  In discussions focusing on the nature of The Piano as ‘women’s cinema’, some praised the film for its exploration of female desire and sensibility, while others criticised it for aestheticising female masochism and presenting a universalising view of femininity at the expense of New Zealand’s indigenous population.  The Piano also exemplified the changes in art cinema during the 1990s, with the rise of the ‘crossover’ film. It powerfully demonstrated the potential for art cinema to cross over into mainstream awareness and commercial success, with its unprecedented box office takings and several Oscar nominations (winning Best Original Screenplay for Campion, Best Actress for Holly Hunter and Best Supporting Actress for Anna Paquin).' (Introduction)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Senses of Cinema no. 22 September-October 2002 Z1672506 2002 periodical issue 2002
  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Senses of Cinema no. 92 October 2019 20903254 2019 periodical issue

    'This issue marks the 20th anniversary of Senses of Cinema, and we are pleased to present to you a bumper issue with a full range of film writing, provocative ideas and interviews and reports from around the world. Our dossier this issue posed a very simple question: as we bring the 2010s to a close, what was the most significant influence on or moment in cinema in the past decade? Writers were free to discuss a movement or an incident or a specific film – the breadth of this dossier and the perspectives that people have taken on this are really remarkable. The dossier is designed to be quick, accessible and insightful, so dive in and explore what our very best writers have to say about the 2010s; it makes for fascinating reading, and really encourages us to think about where cinema will be by the end of the ’20s. And to celebrate our anniversary, we have also included an extra mini-dossier of some of the greatest writing from over the last 20 years of this journal. Senses of Cinema has built a tremendous community for film discussion, criticism and writing that is smart, well researched and engaging. This is our opportunity to throw a mini-dossier party to celebrate our achievements and the incredible work of editors past and present, and our vision of our journal as a locus for intelligent film discussion that spans the globe.' (Publication summary)

    2019
Last amended 21 Dec 2020 09:17:29
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http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2019/20-years-of-senses/great-directors-jane-campion-issue-22-october-2002/ Great Directors: Jane Campionsmall AustLit logo Senses of Cinema
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