Oscar-winning director Jane Campion, who heads the jury at this year’s Taormina Film Festival, devoted much of her time in Sicily to rewatching the seminal 1993 drama The Piano. The New Zealand director, who was accompanied on the jury by the film’s star Holly Hunter, told journalists about his memories of making the successful film, from the “incredible” support he received from private financiers to the “amazing” marketing campaign from disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein.
Asked by Variety how “The Piano,” about a mute woman and her daughter exiled to New Zealand, went from being a small arthouse drama to a global box office phenomenon — the film grossed $140.2 million worldwide on a $7 million budget — Campion paused and said: He was bold with his art and audience building, I have to admit,[the marketing strategy]was his vision. ”
Weinstein was president of major distribution company Miramax, which acquired the rights to “The Piano” in early 1993. The executive was active in the drama’s awards campaign, which ultimately won it three Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay for “Campion.”
Asked by Variety about the 4K restoration of “The Piano,” which was released by Sony Pictures Classics in the U.S. on July 24 and was supervised by Campion and cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh, the director said, “I’m really humbled to feel there’s still energy in the movie.”
“I watched the film again myself during the restoration process, and I was a little surprised at how brave it was. Especially[Hunter’s]performance as Eva and the idea of this woman who doesn’t speak, it still feels like a really strong message about the situation women are in,” she noted. “If no one is listening, why bother?”
Campion was then asked about how things have changed (or haven’t) for women in the 30 years since the film’s original release. “I don’t know any more than you,” she said, adding, “I feel like there’s a really big price to pay for the #MeToo movement.”
“For example, abortion is being reversed in the United States,” she continued. “And the sense that some kind of patriarchy is really trying to set us back, you know? That’s my feeling. But the good thing is that women are making money in ways they didn’t before. They have jobs, they want movies that speak to them, and they want movies that speak to them. I see a lot of change in television and online work. That’s why we have more female directors. “Unless you’re told you have to stay home and take care of your kids, that opportunity won’t go away. Let’s get rid of the no votes.”
“The Piano”, provided by Sony Pictures Classics
Campion also recalled his experience working at Sivie 2000, the French film production and distribution company founded in 1990 by Francis Bouygues. The company has worked on major films such as Pedro Almodóvar’s “Live Flesh,” David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me” and “Lost Highway,” and Mike Leigh’s “Secrets and Lies.”
“They used to be road builders and they made concrete,” Campion said of the investors. “The guy who was in charge of that suddenly went to see a Bertolucci movie, I think it was “The Last Emperor,” and he was appalled. I’ve had a long career and had some experiences like that. Even Netflix had their moments where they were very generous with their money. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made ‘Power of the Dog.’
Campion said the partnership, as well as the French company, had resulted in “some really great work”, adding: “They were very generous with their profits so we were able to split the profits 50-50. It’s incredible.”
As for future projects, the director said he is currently “enjoying” his Wellington-based pop-up film school, A Wave in the Ocean, which is part-funded by Netflix. Campion also said that he was currently working on a musical, but details of the project were kept secret.
