#NotableKiwis: JANE CAMPION

DID YOU KNOW? Dame Elizabeth Jane Campion (aka Jane Campion) is a multi-awarded and talented Kiwi director, screenwriter and producer.

A Wellingtonian born on 30 April 1954, she is the middle child of Edith and Richard Campion – an actress and theatre director, respectively. Jane and her siblings grew up being exposed in the world of New Zealand theatre.

She graduated with a degree in Anthropology in Victoria University Wellington in 1975 and in the next 5 years, studied Arts in London and Australia. She then channelled her creative talents into film-making in 1980, when she created her first film – Tissues. She created and directed more films after that, which earned her several awards all around the world – her most notable one, being the recipient of the Palme d’Or award in 1993 for her film, The Piano.

As of 2015, since its introduction in 1955, Dame Jane Campion is the only female director to have won the Palme d’Or, for The Piano (NOTE: The Palme d’Or, or Golden Palm in English, is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival).

In 2016, Jane Campion was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2016 New Year Honours. She is currently busy writing and directing the TV Series “Top of the Lake.”

Other notable awards she received throughout her career are:

Peel (1982) – Short Film Palme d’Or (1986 Cannes Film Festival)

Sweetie (1989) – First feature length film, International awards

The Piano (1993) – Won, Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen and Nominated, Best Director (1994 Oscar)

Angel at my Table (1999) – Won 7 awards at the Venice Film Festival, and International Critics Award at the Toronto International Film Festival

Top of the Lake (2013) – Won the Magnolia Award at the Shanghai International TV Festival

(Reference: Wikipedia, IMDB; Feature image from www.filmfestival.com)