Jane Campion is one of the most celebrated auteurs of modern cinema and was the first female director to be awarded the prestigious Palme d'Or. Throughout her relatively short career, Campion has received extraordinary attention from the media and scholars alike and has provoked fierce debates on issues such as feminism, colonialism, and nationalism. In the first detailed account of Jane Campion's career as a filmmaker, Deb Verhoeven examines specifically how contemporary film directors 'fashion' themselves as auteurs - through their personal interactions with the media, in their choice of projects, in their emphasis on particular filmmaking techniques and finally in the promotion of their films. Through analysis of key scenes from Campion's films, such as "The Piano"; "In the Cut"; "Sweetie"; "An Angel at My Table"; and "Holy Smoke", Deb Verhoeven introduces students to the key debates surrounding this controversial and often experimental director. Featuring a career overview, a filmography, scene by scene analysis and an extended interview with Campion on her approach to creativity, this is a great introduction to one of the most important directors of contemporary cinema.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements Introduction: Being Jane Campion in a post-Campion world? Chapter One: Becoming Jane Campion: Modes of auteurism and the media Chapter Two: Realizing Jane Campion: The industry and economics of contemporary auteurism Chapter Three: Reading Jane Campion: Key debates and film scenes Chapter Four: Campion on Campion: An interview with Jane Campion Jane Campion Chronology Filmography Bibliographic and Internet resources for the films of Jane Campion Glossary Index

Author Biography

RMIT University, Australia