Andrea Galer's works and Diederick Santer talks about Jane Eyre

We have been lucky enough to get an e-mail from Andrea Galer where she talks both about her work in the new production of Jane Eyre (and in a new film starring Cate Blanchett called Golden Age) as well as her excellent work in the Power of Hands Foundation. She has kindly forwarded us several files full of information. We would like to highlight some of it:

POWER OF HANDS – FENTON HOUSE HAMPSTEAD 2005
For the past 4 years at ‘The National trust’ property ‘Fenton House’ Hampstead Andrea has displayed her work showing how film links to fashion. Last year was the start of ‘Power of Hands’, a series of exhibitions using film costumes to highlight the huge contribution that expertise in crafts make to the film industry. Her exhibitions use her collections of 19th / 21st century to provide inventive ways of offering exhibitions and events and can be booked through The London Film Fashion Centre www.thelondonfilmfashioncentre.co.uk now the collection is offering costumes from Jane Eyre to be screened later this year.


Costumes from BLEAK HOUSE (in the picture)

The informal display of the costumes of Bleak House has been set up by my team to bring the rooms to life. As the designer my research into the period combined with choice of fabrics,trimmings and the skills of the team who have made the costumes are the result you see in this exhibition. My job as a costume designer is to produce costumes which will move the audience, make the actor comfortable and it must also work visually for camera. This requires the skills of various people who work with a passion which is actually unique in today’s world. Gone are the days when people had their own makers and dressers and it is the luxury of film, which demands such expertise today.

Also, when asked about the opening scenes of this new Jane Eyre and the gorgeous costume she's wearing, this is what she says:

Images from Egypt painted by 19th century artists were in my mind ! - this production allowed me to create images which I fell match the fantastic mind of Charlotte Brontë and look forward to using them in my touring exhibitions.

Very interesting, since it matches our Arabian Nights theory, as well as very successfully achieved.

As we posted a few months back, through the Power of Hands Foundation Andrea Galer gives a toughtful depth to entertainment. On this point she comments:

I am developing linking 19th century writers to helping us address the huge problem created by loss of respect for life style outside of the global mess we are in! - Charlotte Brontë leads the way with this series.

We get a feeling Charlotte Brontë would have been only too glad to champion such a cause :)

On a Jane Eyre 2006-related note, Brontëana publishes an interview with Diederick Santer, Jane Eyre's producer. Mr Santer is very careful and does not reveal too much, but there are interesting points about the casting and how Sandy Welch has adapted the novel that are noticeable.

Categories: Movies-DVD-TV, Jane_Eyre, Art-Exhibitions