After a fairly prolific run in the ‘90s, Jane Campion only made two films in the ‘00s. And since 2009’s “Bright Star,” the director has yet to create another feature. However, in that time, the award-winning filmmaker did direct two seasons of her “Top of the Lake” series. And when you hear Campion talk about it, it would appear the director is pretty disillusioned with the whole idea of feature filmmaking.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, in support of her first film since 2009, the upcoming Netflix feature, “The Power of the Dog,” Jane Campion talked about her extended hiatus from features and why she sees TV as the more “daring” medium.
“Film is complicated now,” Campion said. “In a way, it’s not as daring as series-making.”
This echoes the sentiments she shared back in 2017, in an interview with The Guardian, where Campion said, “Cinema in Australia and New Zealand has become much more mainstream. It’s broad entertainment, broad sympathy. It’s just not my kind of thing. As a goal, to make money out of entertaining doesn’t inspire me. But in television, there is no concern about politeness or pleasing the audience. It feels like creative freedom.”
Of course, you would assume she feels like “The Power of the Dog,” which stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons, and Kirsten Dunst, is the exception to the feature rule. And perhaps that’s why the film is being released through Netflix, as the streaming platform has shown itself to be a go-to spot for filmmakers hoping to do something unique. (Though, they admittedly have to sacrifice a big theatrical run to make that happen.)
Perhaps, one of the draws of “The Power of the Dog” is the idea of making a film with a male lead, the first such case for Campion over her illustrious career. And according to the filmmaker, it’s only because of the post-#MeToo Hollywood climate, where women are finally being pushed towards bigger opportunities, that she has felt comfortable having a film with a man at its center.
“I’ve never seen such a big thing in my lifetime,” Campion explained about #MeToo and its effect on Hollywood. “I see it as permanent and I’m going to act into that. With that, I feel like…I can imagine into a male space now.”
“The Power of the Dog” is expected to have its world debut at this year’s Venice Film Festival before hitting Netflix on December 1. You can see new pictures from the film below: