Cornelia’s story inspires Blanchett

HOLLYWOOD Oscar winner Cate Blanchett is heading to Adelaide to direct a television series about Cornelia Rau, the mentally ill Australian woman wrongfully detained as an illegal immigrant in South Australia’s Baxter detention centre.

Blanchett, the winner of two Oscars during a two-decade Hollywood career, will be behind the camera for the first time and it is understood that she will also play a character, but not the main role.

She has been in talks with her support crew about the series, which has a working title of Stateless and recently scouted locations in South Australia.

The story of Ms Rau, a German-born former Qantas flight attendant, captivated the nation in 2005.

Diagnosed as schizophrenic, Ms Rau denied her illness and in 2004 absconded from Manly Hospital. Her family, who reported her missing, had no idea where she was.

Ms Rau was awarded $2.6 million in compensation.