'Such a radical voice at the time'

Emily is one of the '16 Must-See Films To See At The Toronto Film Festival' according to The Playlist.

“Emily“

A biographical drama based on the life of Emily Brontë, one of the world’s most famous and provocative writers who died too soon. Bronte is a writer whose life imitates her art, as her “Wuthering Heights” was a story of female oppression and themes she experienced in her own life. “Emily” is directed by Frances O’Connor and stars Emma Mackey, Fionn Whitehead, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Alexandra Dowling, Adrian Dunbar, Amelia Gething, and Gemma Jones. (Jamie Rogers)

Women and Hollywood includes it on its TIFF 2022 selection as well.

“Emily” – Written and Directed by Frances O’Connor

What it’s about: This boldly atmospheric portrait of “Wuthering Heights” author Emily Brontë — the directorial debut from veteran actor Frances O’Connor — is a tale of creativity, secret desire, and a woman’s arduous journey toward self-actualization in 19th-century England.

Why we’re excited: Best known for her on-screen appearances in series and films such as “The Missing,” “AI,” and “Mansfield Park,” Frances O’Connor steps behind the camera for “Emily,” a look at the life of the author behind one of the most beloved books of all time, “Wuthering Heights.” We’ve seen plenty of Catherine and Heathcliff in film and TV adaptations of Emily Brontë’s only novel, but we’re keen to see Brontë’s own story play out on the screen. If Apple TV+’s “Dickinson” taught us anything, it’s that, in the right hands, entertainment about authors from centuries past can still feel totally fresh. Plus, we’re eager to see Emma Mackey lead a period pic — it’ll be a major departure from her breakout role in “Sex Education.”

While Evening Standard lists it among other literary-related films of 2022 as part of its National Read A Book Day feature yesterday.

Emily

Emily is a forthcoming biographical drama about Emily Brontë starring Emma Mackey. It has been written and directed by actress Frances O’Connor and will be released in October. So while, admittedly, the film isn’t based on a particular book itself, it will be depicting the life of one of Britain’s most accomplished writers – and it is always a good idea to read some Brontë.

Best known for her novel Wuthering Heights, Emily also wrote searing Gothic poetry: “Often rebuked, yet always back returning / To those first feelings that were born with me,” she wrote in 1850. “What have those lonely mountains worth revealing? / More glory and more grief than I can tell: / The earth that wakes one human heart to feeling / Can centre both the worlds of Heaven and Hell.” Getting lost in her poetry is a wonderful way to spend an hour or two on National Read A Book Day. (Elizabeth Gregory)

Rochester City Newspaper features the local stage production of Jane Eyre, which opened last night.

The first show of her inaugural season will be “Jane Eyre,” a play [Elizabeth] Williamson adapted from the novel and has directed before.

Announcing her arrival to the Rochester theater scene with a faithful adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic might seem out of step with Geva’s recent push to produce works by historically marginalized artists and Williamson’s extensive background developing new stories by living playwrights.

Williamson defended her choice this way: “I think every season should be a broad mix of stories bringing a number of different experiences onstage.”

She called “Jane Eyre” the story “of a really independent young woman who despite not having any family, any class standing… manages to figure out that she wants to create an independent life for herself and proceeds to do so.” [...]

Her love and knowledge of “Jane Eyre” runs deep. She recalled first reading it as a teenager and being immediately grabbed by the heroine. In college, she took women’s studies classes that held “Jane Eyre” up as foundational to understanding Victorian gender norms.

“She was such a radical voice at the time,” Williamson said of Brontë, who wrote the book under a pen name and saw it published in 1847. “The novel was crucified when it came out.”

Since then, the story has been adapted for television, film, manga, and the stage, including two operas.

About a decade ago, Williamson wanted to direct a production based on the novel, but was dissatisfied with the stage adaptations available. She felt none sufficiently focused on Jane’s journey, which she sees as the core of the book.

She downloaded the nearly-600-page novel to her computer and began copying and pasting Brontë’s prose, identifying scenes and lines that could most succinctly tell the story.

Williamson said 90 percent of her adaptation was taken directly from the book, and that any new lines were written in the style of Brontë.

While the novel starts in Jane’s childhood, Williamson’s theatrical adaptation skips ahead to the first moment of decision in Jane’s adult life, when she applies for work as a governess.

“Usually positions like that would be found through connections,” Williamson explained. “She figures out how to do that herself. There’s no one guiding her, no one helping her.”

Williamson’s adaptation was first produced at Hartford Stage, where she was the associate artistic director and director of new play development before joining Geva. The production ran in early 2020 and closed a week early due to the onset of the pandemic, but received rave reviews.. (Katherine Varga)

Elle asks bookish questions to author Maggie O'Farrell.

The book that… [...]

…I’ve re-read the most:

It’s probably a toss-up between Jane Eyre, Anna Karenina, and Molly Keane’s Good Behaviour, all of which I resoundingly recommend. (Riza Cruz)

Autostraddle recommends '103 Queer and Feminist Books Coming Your Way Fall 2022' and one of them is

Leech by Hiron Ennes (September 27)

Blurbed by Tamsyn Muir as “impeccably clever and atmospheric. Think Wuthering Heights…with worms!”, Ennes’s debut queer gothic science fiction is surreal and horrifying. The book is set in an isolated northern castle where the Institute attempts to shelter humanity from the horrors of their ancestors’ mistakes. How? By replacing human practitioners of medicine with their own creations. (Casey)