Stephanie Meyer - Austenland Premiers at Sundance to Mixed Reviews

Austenland Premiers at Sundance to Mixed Reviews

Much has happened at the Sundance Film Festival this year, but then again, isn’t that always the case?

An unlikely winner of the audience’s attention was Austenland, a fantasy-and-reality-clash flick about a fictional resort, whose patrons get to live out their dream of living in a Jane Austen novels. And what’s not to like here? The film offers a love story, set in modern times, but also gets to play around with indulgent costumes and period speak – all good fun. What may come as a surprise to some is that one of the brains behind the operation is none other than Stephanie Meyer – yes, she of Twilight infamy. Well, if there’s anything her writing has shown, it’s that romance is like a drug to a particular demographic of young women (and some men), so it’s a small wonder that she is involved in this particular project. The reviews of Austenland are quite mixed at the moment, but the synopsis, at least, suggests that this one might be worth seeing.

Some other highlights of Sundance Festival included, of course, the premiere of May in the Summer on the very first night of the festival and of course, the documentary Anita: Speaking Truth to Power, focusing on the life of Anita Hill, a prominent advocate for women’s rights and against sexual harassment.