Jerusha Hess Austenland

Austenland

Cast: Keri Russell, Jj Feild, Jane Seymour
Director: Jerusha Hess
Genre: Comedy; Romance
Rated: PG
Running Time: 97 minutes

Synopsis: 'Austenland' is a romantic comedy about 30-something, singer Jane Hayes, a seemingly normal young woman with a secret: her obsession with all things Jane Austen. But when she decides to spend her life savings on a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become more real than she ever could have imagined.

Austenland
Release Date: November 28th, 2013

Directors Statement

I remember thinking after my husband and I finished Gentlemen Broncos, our weirdest and most testicular film to date, that I really needed to start making movies for girls.

Cut to a dinner meeting with author Shannon Hale. She was smart and funny and handed me a book she had recently published, 'Austenland." I read it in an evening and we started writing the screenplay within the month. The book was so fresh and read like a film; it was a joy to adapt it for the screen and write with Shannon.

Since the romantic element in the book was always strong, my goal was to make the film as quirky and light as possible. The result is a ridiculous romp in Regency culture – commenting not only on the historical time but also on the Jane Austen film genre itself. Although the film gently pokes at the Austen 'aficionado" it never intends to alienate the fans, rather to celebrate the fun and funny of it all.

Austenland was as girlishly indulgent to make as I hope it is for you to watch. Enjoy.
 - Jerusha Hess