Jane Campion Says The Impact Of The #MeToo Movement Felt “Like The Berlin Wall Coming Down”

Believe it or not, “The Power of the Dog” marks the first film by acclaimed director Jane Campion to feature a male-lead. Previously, the filmmaker has made it a point to tell stories about women, as Campion has always been cognizant of the fact that female-led stories, particularly from female filmmakers, have been rare in Hollywood. But now, in the wake of #MeToo, Campion believes things have changed for the better.

Speaking at this year’s Venice Film Festival (via Variety), where “The Power of the Dog” just premiered, Campion talked about the impact of the #MeToo movement and compared it to one of the biggest events in modern political history.

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“All I can say is since the #MeToo movement happened, I feel a change in the weather that’s substantial,” Campion said. “It’s like the Berlin Wall coming down.”

Campion is particularly excited for how Chloe Zhao won multiple Oscars for “Nomadland” earlier this year and Julia Ducournau recently won the Palme d’Or at Cannes for “Titane.” The filmmaker provides these as proof that female filmmakers are having a moment, but there also needs to be more of them.

“I think the girls are doing very well,” Campion said. “I say that in a gallant way. The great loss for everyone is there aren’t enough feminine voices.”

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Obviously, Campion doesn’t believe #MeToo has fixed all the ills of Hollywood when it comes to how female filmmakers are being treated. But it’s clear to her, and the proof seems to be in the aforementioned success of others like her, that we are at the beginning of a new era in Hollywood where women directors and female-led stories are more commonplace.

“The Power of the Dog” is set to arrive on Netflix on November 17.