Jane Campion believes the #MeToo movement has been a true game-changer.
Speaking to press on Thursday at the Venice Film Festival, the “Power of the Dog” director, and the first woman to ever win the Palme d’Or at Cannes for her film “The Piano”, addressed the state of the industry for women.
“The girls are doing very well,” pointing to recent Oscar winner Chloé Zhao and this year’s Cannes winner Julia Ducournau: “But I still know the statistics are not in favour” of women.
Campion continued, “All I can say is that, since the MeToo movement happened, I feel a change in the weather. It’s like the Berlin Wall coming down or the end of Apartheid for us women.”
Benedict Cumberbatch, who stars in “The Power of the Dog”, also spoke about how the film addresses themes of toxic masculinity.
Referring to his angry rancher character, the actor said the character was a product of “his nurture, his upbringing, and his circumstances.”
“As far as how it speaks to the message of toxic masculinity in the world, if you try to understand it and acknowledge it, that’s the only way to change it. You can’t just oppose it — that’s fuel on the fire.
“You have to understand why these damaged people are causing damage to others and themselves,” Cumberbatch continued, also referring to the rise of “strong men of politics” around the world. “It has to be addressed and challenged, it’s not just about locking the monster away and throwing away the key, otherwise it keeps recycling.”
