Power of the Dog: Jane Campion Makes History With Oscars 2022 Nomination
With her latest batch of Academy Award nominations, The Power of the Dog director Jane Campion has made Oscar history. The acclaimed New Zealand filmmaker returned to the big screen after a 12-year absence, having turned to television in the 2010s with the miniseries Top of the Lake and its follow-up, Top of the Lake: China Girl. After premiering at the Venice Film Festival and enjoying a limited theatrical release, The Power of the Dog dropped on Netflix on December 1.
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Thomas Savage, Campion's film predominantly follows Benedict Cumberbatch's vindictive cowherd Phil Burbank after his meeker brother, George (Jesse Plemons), marries a woman against his wishes. When Rose (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter, her son from a previous marriage, move into their Montana ranch, Phil bullies the woman into submission and taunts Peter for his effeminate manner — only to discover that his relationships with the new arrivals are not as simple as they seemed. The Power of the Dog has been a critical darling and just yesterday cemented its position as an awards-season favorite by picking up a leading 12 Oscar nominations.
Related: Oscars 2022 Nominations: The Biggest Snubs & Surprises
And, according to Variety, one of those nominations marked a first in Academy Award history. By being among the five competing for the Best Director statuette, Campion is now the only woman to have ever been nominated more than once in the coveted category, having previously been nominated for 1993's The Piano. As sad as that fact is, Campion says, it's also an encouraging sign of real change within the film industry. Check out her full reaction below:
It’s both sad but it’s also great that women are punching that glass
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