Director Jane Campion Faces Backlash Over a Comment About Venus and Serena Williams

Manori Ravindran International EditorThe British remake of “Call My Agent!” is finally heading to Amazon’s Prime Video next month.Titled “Ten Percent,” the show hails from BAFTA-winning “W1A” and “Twenty Twelve” writer John Morton and, much like its French counterpart, follows a ragtag group of talent agents at a fictional British agency. And as evidenced in a new trailer for the show (watch below), creators have made good on early promises to depict the U.K.

As reported by Variety earlier this week, Best Original Song nominee Beyonce opened Sunday night’s 94th Academy Awards ceremony with a tribute to Venus and Serena Williams performed on the famed tennis courts “in the heart of beautiful Compton, where we truly came alive as professional athletes,” the sisters said when introducing the singer’s opening set.Of course, Beyonce performed “Be Alive,” her song from the Will Smith-starring film about the Williams sisters, “King Richard.” The performance opened with a number of characteristically statuesque Beyonce dancers, clad in tennis-ball-green outfits, walking down a Compton street toward the courts, past the kind of low-rider cars made world-famous in Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg videos in the 1990s.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefWhether or not “The Power of the Dog” wins the big prize at the Academy Awards on Sunday, David Strong, chief executive of the New Zealand Film Commission for the past eight months, is guaranteed to be an in-demand visitor to Los Angeles over the next week.With the Jane Campion-directed film handily showcasing New Zealand’s talent, locations and craft strengths, the country has now reopened its borders to international visitors. Also sweetening the deal are more studio spaces.Ahead of Strong’s flight to Los Angeles, where he has a week of meetings set up with Hollywood decision makers, he spoke to Variety about what New Zealand has to offer going forward.What has been the impact of “The Power of the Dog” and its Oscar nominations? It’s already been a big success story for us.

Shalini Dore Features News EditorAustralia, that powerhouse in entertainment, feted 15 Oscar nominees from Down Under and New Zealand at the Australian consul general’s residence Wednesday in Brentwood.While celebrating the noms — 10 for Australia and five for New Zealand — Peter Ritchie, head of Australians in Film, said, “My mission here in L.A. is to open doors for some of the excluded and undiscovered writers and directors who could be the next Oscar nominees.”With Melanie Annan, editor of the nominated doc short “Three Songs for Benazir,” Ritchie said, “Australian influence is not necessarily only on Australia, but around the world.”Consul-general Jane Duke congratulated all the nominees. “You are really extraordinary,” she said.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefBruce Tuchmann-backed Rialto International has launched a branded on-demand streaming service in Japan, focused on independent film, and housed on Amazon’s Prime Video Channels platform.Rialto Channel launched in 1999 in New Zealand, where it was initially branded as The Sundance Channel. It established itself as an award-winning and industry-leading indie film destination for over twenty years.In Japan, the Rialto-branded venue will feature current and iconic independent films.

King Richard alongside Dixson, may be performing it during the telecast, reports.Beyoncé’s team is reportedly “in deep talks with producers” about performing her nominated track virtually from tennis courts in Compton, California—the very place where King Richard subjects Venus and Serena Williams began playing. According to Variety’s sources, she could potentially open the show after a live introduction from the film’s best actor nominee, Will Smith, who would then head to the Dolby Theatre.Although this is Beyoncé’s first Oscar nomination, it wouldn’t be her first performance at the awards show.

The Power of The Dog director Jane Campion has apologized to tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, after being called out for a comment she made during her acceptance speech at the Critics Choice Awards.Campion’s speech went viral after the acclaimed director said it was an “honor to be in the room” with the Williams sisters, describing them as “such marvels,” and concluding with, “However, you do not play against the guys like I have to,” referring to the rest of the male fellow nominees.Online users were quick to point out that the speech seemed to be dismissive of the success of Venus and Serena. Now the director has decided to write an apology, explaining that she “made a thoughtless comment equating what I do in the film world with all that Serena Williams and Venus Williams have achieved.”“I did not intend to devalue these two legendary Black women and world class athletes,” Campion continued, “The fact is the Williams sisters have, actually, squared off against men on the court (and off), and they have both raised the bar and opened doors for what is possible for women in this world.”Campion says that “The last thing” she would ever want to do is “minimize remarkable women,” adding “Their accomplishments are titanic and inspiring.

A poor choice of words? Jane Campion is speaking out after her 2022 Critics’ Choice Awards comment about Serena Williams and Venus Williams drew backlash.

Critics Choice Awards.After winning the award for Best Director for The Power Of The Dog at the ceremony on Sunday (March 13), Campion compared her achievements to the Williams sisters during her acceptance speech. The tennis superstars were in the room to support the film King Richard, where Will Smith plays their father Richard Williams.“Venus and Serena, you’re such marvels,” said Campion during her speech. “However, you don’t play against the guys, like I have to.”The comment, while warmly received in the room, was subsequently criticised by many on social media for comparing her struggles to those of two Black women.In a statement released following the backlash (via Variety), Campion said: “I made a thoughtless comment equating what I do in the film world with all that Serena Williams and Venus Williams have achieved.

Jane Campion is walking back on her Critics’ Choice Awards speech.

criticized online for her remark about the tennis greats, saying it diminished their accomplishments as Black, female athletes. And Venus Williams herself looked visibly surprised during the Critics Choice Awards broadcast when she made the comment.

Jane Campion is apologizing to Venus and Serena Williams after her comments sparked backlash at the 2022 Critics Choice Awards over the weekend.

Jane Campion, 67, caused quite a stir when she brought up Serena, 40, and Venus Williams, 41, in her acceptance speech at the 2022 Critics Choice Awards. After the Power of the Dog filmmaker won ‘Best Director’ for her Netflix movie on March 13, Jane gave a lengthy speech during which she initially praised the Williams sisters. “What an honor to be in the room with you,” Jane said about the tennis superstars, before joking that she’s taken up the sport but stopped due to “tennis elbow.”

LONDON -- Sci-fi epic “Dune” won five prizes and brooding Western “The Power of the Dog” was named best picture as the British Academy Film Awards returned Sunday with a live, black-tie ceremony after a pandemic-curtailed event in 2021.New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion was named best director for “The Power of the Dog,” becoming only the third woman to win the prize in the awards’ seven-decade history.Lead acting trophies went to Hollywood star Will Smith and British performer Joanna Scanlan, as an event that has worked to overcome a historic lack of diversity recognized a wide range of talents — including its first deaf acting winner in Troy Kotsur for “CODA.”Last year’s awards ceremony was largely conducted online, with only the hosts and presenters appearing in person.

director Jane Campion didn’t mince her words while addressing the 77-year-old Western icon’s “sexist” criticism of her 12-time Oscar-nominated flick last week. The 2022 best director Oscar nominee gave her rebuttal during an interview with Variety at the Directors Guild of America Awards on Saturday night.“I’m sorry, he was being a little bit of a B-I-T-C-H,” Campion, 67, told the magazine before the ceremony.

Angelique Jackson Along the road to the Oscars, becoming an Internet hero can be a fleeting accomplishment.That’s what happened to Jane Campion, director of “The Power of the Dog,” over the weekend as she went from being championed on Twitter one night to being criticized the next.On Saturday, the Internet crowned Campion their queen for responding to Sam Elliot’s crude criticism of “The Power of the Dog” on the red carpet ahead of the DGA Awards.“I’m sorry, he was being a little bit of a B-I-T-C-H. He’s not a cowboy; he’s an actor,” she told Variety’s Marc Malkin.

Venus and Serena Williams came to shine at the 2022 Critics Choice Awards Sunday.The sisters stepped out in silver for the 27th annual awards show, where , the biopic which details their father's journey as he raises his daughters into tennis icons, was nominated for six awards.Venus wore a Versace gown with a plunging neckline and waist-high slits. Venus's outfit included a pair of shimmering bike shorts that were draped by the slits of the dress. The tennis star paired the look with a pair of platform heels. Venus kept the rest of her look simple, wearing her hair down, long and straight.