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Ever since bikini-clad Brigitte Bardot paraded for photographers on the Croisette, Cannes has been synonymous with A-list female glamour.

But what about women behind the camera? The Palme d'Or has been won by a woman only once in its 62-year history. That was by Jane Campion in 1993 for The Piano.

She is back in Cannes, and back in competition, with Bright Star, the story of the love affair between Fanny Brawne and the poet, John Keats.

This time, she is not the sole woman vying for the top prize. British director, Andrea Arnold, is also in competition with only her second feature, Fish Tank. As is the Spanish director, Isabel Coixet, with Map of the Sounds of Tokyo.

I asked Jane Campion if it was just as hard now for women to make an impact at this level of film-making as it was when she won in 1993.

Her answer was typical of her playful and insightful view of the world. She said she didn't think women grew up with the same harsh criticism that men did and, because of that, were not cut out for their first experiences of the harsh world of film-making.

"Women are not used to that, so we have to put our armour on and get out there," she said.

She added that she would love to see more women directors and joked that this had to happen because women "represent half the population and gave birth to the whole world".

New Zealander Campion praised the Australian government for its support of film-makers of both sexes which, she said, was one reason why there were so many strong Australian women directors.

And she asked what happens - given there are almost always an equal number of men and women at film school - to all the women?