A landmark year for Jane Austen has been marked by Chester academics. 

Storyhouse recently held 'Austen 250', an event to commemorate the 250^th anniversary year of Jane Austen's birth.

During the event there were screenings of Joe Wright's Pride & Prejudice film starring Keira Knightley, alongside Amy Heckerling's 'Clueless' - a loose and modern take on Jane Austen's 1815 novel Emma, which became a 2020 period drama movie by Autumn de Wilde and was also shown at the event.

All three screenings were introduced by experts from the University of Chester, including professor Deborah Wynne, professor Melissa Fegan and Dr Katie Barnett – senior lecturer in film and media Studies. 

Katie has now also been interviewed for arts publication Eloquentia. 

Within the interview, which can be read here, Katie spoke about how Jane Austen's work can be adapted and updated endlessly, tailored for a range of audiences, and which ones have worked their magic in cinematography.  

Katie said: "It was a privilege to be a part of the Jane Austen celebrations at Storyhouse, and to talk to such an enthusiastic audience about how the music, fashion and language of Clueless still reflect those Austen roots.

"Being interviewed by Ruby Victoria at Eloquentia gave us a chance to really dig deeper into Austen's cinematic legacy." 

As well as the film screenings, Storyhouse also held its production of Pride and Prejudice at the Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre during the summer.