THE POWER OF JANE CAMPION
Her Best Films Including Power of the Dog
Jane Campion is back with her first feature film in 12 years with the neo-western drama The Power of the Dog. It follows charismatic and mercurial rancher Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch), who finds himself at odds with his brother George (Jesse Plemons) when George brings home a new wife (Kirsten Dunst). However, Phil finds himself falling for his new sister-in-law’s son (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The Power of the Dog had its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and garnered Campion a Silver Lion win for Best Direction. It is scheduled to have a limited theatrical release on November 17, 2021 before it is released on Netflix on December 1, 2021. While we wait to see it, let’s take a look at some of Campion’s best films.
An Angel at My Table
Campion’s sophomore feature An Angel at My Table is based on the three autobiographies of New Zealand author Janet Frame. The movie was originally produced as a mini-series, but then recut to be a film. It is divided into three parts and follows Frame at three different stages in her life, each stage being portrayed by a different actor. The film was the first film from New Zealand to be screened at the Venice Film Festival, where it went on to win second place.
The Piano
A mute Scottish woman named Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter) travels with her young daughter Flora (Anna Paquin in her first role) to New Zealand after being sold into a marriage with a frontiersman named Alisdair Stewart (Sam Neill). Ada soon finds herself drawn to her new husband’s acquaintance George Baines (Harvey Keitel). The film won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, making Campion the first, and still only, female director to win the award at Cannes. It went on to be nominated for eight Academy Awards and won three: Best Actress for Hunter, Best Supporting Actress for Paquin, and Best Original Screenplay for Campion.
Holy Smoke
This comedy-drama follows an American exit counselor (Harvey Keitel) who is hired to deprogram a young Australian woman (Kate Winslet) who has fallen into a new age cult in India. Holy Smoke premiered at the 56th Venice International Film Festival where Campion and Winslet won the Elvira Notari Prize. While not as strong a film as the previous two entries on this list, it is bolstered by its stellar performances.
Bright Star
Campion’s last feature film before The Power of the Dog, Bright Star follows the last three years of poet John Keats’ (Ben Whishaw) life and his romantic relationship with Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish). Bright Star screened at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival where it was in contention for the Palme d’Or.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATZkuN-6ssI