In Praise of Shadows

Australian costume and production designer Janet Patterson has died

Costume designer Janet Patterson, a four-time Oscar nominee for period films like Bright Star, The Portrait of a Lady and The Piano, has died.

Louise Bourgeois, Portrait with Darned Cuffs

Takehisa Yumeji 竹久夢二 (1884-1934)

Jane Campion b. 30 April, 1954

Campion was born the second of two daughters to actress Edith Campion and theatre director Richard M. Campion. Campion was raised in the theatrical New Zealand community where her parents were well known. Initially adopting a career in painting Campion later turned her attention to film and began to direct short films. 

Almost immediately Campion was recognized as an important voice in world cinema. Her early shorts screened at the Cannes Film Festival where she won the Short Film Palme d'Or, the highest honour achievable at the festival for a short film. 

Her 1989 feature film debut Sweetie played In Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. The festival further honoured her in 1993 by awarding her the Palme d’Or for her film The Piano making her the first (and as of 2015 the only) female director to have this honour.  She was also nominated for Best Director at the Oscars for The Piano, the second woman ever to be nominated in that category.