Sofia Carmina Coppola (; born May 14, 1971) is an American filmmaker and actress. The youngest child and only daughter of filmmakers
Eleanor
Eleanor () is a feminine given name, originally from an Old French adaptation of the Old Provençal name ''Aliénor''. It is the name of a number of women of royalty and nobility in western Europe during the High Middle Ages.
The name was introd ...
and
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five A ...
, she made her film debut as an infant in her father's acclaimed crime drama film ''
The Godfather
''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, ...
'' (1972). Coppola later appeared in several music videos, as well as a supporting role in ''
Peggy Sue Got Married
''Peggy Sue Got Married'' is a 1986 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola starring Kathleen Turner as a woman on the verge of a divorce, who finds herself transported back to the days of her senior year in high sch ...
'' (1986). Coppola then portrayed
Mary Corleone
Mary Corleone is a fictional character in ''The Godfather Part III'', portrayed by Sofia Coppola. She is the daughter of Michael Corleone and Kay Adams and sister of Anthony Vito Corleone.
''The Godfather Part II''
Mary first appears in '' Th ...
, the daughter of
Michael Corleone
Michael Corleone is a fictional character and the protagonist of Mario Puzo's 1969 novel ''The Godfather (novel), The Godfather''. In the The Godfather (film series), three ''Godfather'' films, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Michael was portr ...
, in ''
The Godfather Part III
''The Godfather Part III'' is a 1990 American crime film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola from the screenplay co-written with Mario Puzo. The film stars Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy García, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, ...
'' (1990). She then turned her attention to filmmaking.
Coppola made her feature-length directorial debut with the coming-of-age drama ''
The Virgin Suicides
''The Virgin Suicides'' is a 1993 debut novel by the American author Jeffrey Eugenides. The fictional story, which is set in Grosse Pointe, Michigan during the 1970s, centers on the lives of five doomed sisters, the Lisbon girls. The novel is w ...
'' (1999). It was the first of her collaborations with actress
Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Caroline Dunst (; born April 30, 1982) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the short ''Oedipus Wrecks'' directed by Woody Allen in the anthology film ''New York Stories'' (1989). She then gained recognition for her rol ...
. In 2004, Coppola received the
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Awards, Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Be ...
for the comedy-drama ''
Lost in Translation'' and became the third woman to be nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Director
The Academy Award for Best Director (officially known as the Academy Award of Merit for Directing) is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given in honor of a film director who has exhibi ...
. In 2006, Coppola directed the historical drama ''
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...
'', starring Dunst as the
title character
The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
. In 2010, with the drama ''
Somewhere'', Coppola became the first American woman (and fourth American filmmaker) to win the
Golden Lion
The Golden Lion ( it, Leone d'oro) is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguishe ...
, the top prize at the
Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...
.
In 2013, she directed the satirical crime film ''
The Bling Ring
''The Bling Ring'' is a 2013 crime film written and directed by Sofia Coppola featuring an ensemble cast led by Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, and Claire Julien. It is based on the 2010 ''Vanity Fair'' article "T ...
'', based on the
crime ring of the same name which drew from the
Vanity Fair article "The Suspects Wore Louboutins" by
Nancy Jo Sales
Nancy Jo Sales (born October 15, 1964) is a ''New York Times'' bestselling author and journalist at ''Vanity Fair (magazine), Vanity Fair'', ''New York (magazine), New York'' magazine, and ''Harper's Bazaar'', among others. In 2011 she wrote an a ...
about the real group of burglarizing teens who were "motivated by vanity and worship." The film premiered at the
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
.
In 2015, Coppola released the Christmas musical comedy special ''
A Very Murray Christmas
''A Very Murray Christmas'' is a 2015 American Christmas musical comedy film directed by Sofia Coppola and co-written by Bill Murray, Mitch Glazer, and Coppola. The film features an ensemble cast including Bill Murray, George Clooney, Paul ...
'', starring
Bill Murray
William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan delivery. He rose to fame on ''The National Lampoon Radio Hour'' (1973–1974) before becoming a national presence on ''Saturday Nigh ...
, on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
. It earned her a nomination for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie
This is a list of the winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie, which is awarded since 1992. The category was originally called Outstanding Drama or Comedy Special.
In 1991, Outstanding Drama or Comedy Specia ...
. At the
2017 Cannes Film Festival
The 70th Cannes Film Festival took place from 17 to 28 May 2017, in Cannes, France. Spanish film director and screenwriter Pedro Almodóvar was the President of the Jury for the festival and Italian actress Monica Bellucci hosted the opening and ...
, she won
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to:
Film awards
* AACTA Award for Best Direction
* Academy Award for Best Director
* BA ...
for her work on the drama film
''The Beguiled'', becoming the second woman in the festival's history to win the award.
Her latest film, ''
On the Rocks
Various unique terminology is used in bartending.
Definitions and usage
Straight, up, and straight up
In bartending, the terms "straight up" and "up" ordinarily refer to an alcoholic drink that is shaken or stirred with ice and then strained ...
'', received a
limited theatrical release
__FORCETOC__
Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few theaters across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unite ...
in October 2020 by
A24
A24 is an American independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution. It is based in New York City.
A24 was founded in 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel and John Hodges. Pr ...
as well as a streaming release on
Apple TV+
Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is a small network appliance hardware that plays received media data such as video and audio to a television set or external display. Since its secon ...
.
Early life
Coppola was born in New York City on May 14, 1971, the youngest child and only daughter of documentarian
Eleanor
Eleanor () is a feminine given name, originally from an Old French adaptation of the Old Provençal name ''Aliénor''. It is the name of a number of women of royalty and nobility in western Europe during the High Middle Ages.
The name was introd ...
(''
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
'' Neil) and filmmaker
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five A ...
. She is of Italian descent (
Lucanian and
Neapolitan
Neapolitan means of or pertaining to Naples, a city in Italy; or to:
Geography and history
* Province of Naples, a province in the Campania region of southern Italy that includes the city
* Duchy of Naples, in existence during the Early and Hig ...
) by her father's side and was raised on her parents' farm in
Rutherford, California
Rutherford is a census-designated place (CDP) in Napa County, California, United States. The population was 164 at the 2010 census.
Rutherford is located in the Rutherford AVA (American Viticultural Area) which is located in the larger Napa Valle ...
. Coppola graduated from
St. Helena High School in 1989. She later attended
Mills College
Mills College at Northeastern University is a private college in Oakland, California and part of Northeastern University's global university system. Mills College was founded as the Young Ladies Seminary in 1852 in Benicia, California; it was ...
and the
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a private art university in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for students of both ...
. At 15, Coppola interned with
Chanel
Chanel ( , ) is a French high-end luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. Chanel specializes in women's ready-to-wear, luxury goods, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear. Chanel is ...
. After dropping out of college, Coppola started a clothing line called Milkfed, which is now sold exclusively in Japan.
Among her extensive Hollywood family are her aunt
Talia Shire
Talia Rose Shire (née Coppola; born April 25, 1946) is an American actress who played roles as Connie Corleone in ''The Godfather'' films and Adrian Balboa in the ''Rocky'' series. For her work in ''The Godfather Part II'' and ''Rocky'', Shire ...
, and her first cousins
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor and film producer. Born into the Coppola family, he is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Gu ...
and
Jason Schwartzman
Jason Francesco Schwartzman (born June 26, 1980) is an American actor and musician.
Schwartzman made his film debut in Wes Anderson's 1998 film '' Rushmore'', and has gone on to appear in six other Anderson films: '' The Darjeeling Limited'' (2 ...
. Coppola had many varying interests growing up, including fashion, photography, music, and design, and did not initially intend to become a filmmaker. However, after making her first short film ''Lick the Star'' in 1998, she realized it "brought together all the things
heloved," and decided to continue her directing pursuits.
Acting career
Coppola's acting career, marked by frequent criticisms of
nepotism
Nepotism is an advantage, privilege, or position that is granted to relatives and friends in an occupation or field. These fields may include but are not limited to, business, politics, academia, entertainment, sports, fitness, religion, an ...
and negative reviews, began while she was an infant, as she made background appearances in seven of her father's films. The best known of these is her appearance in ''
The Godfather
''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, ...
'' as the infant Michael Francis Rizzi, in the baptism scene.
Coppola also acted in her father's films ''
The Outsiders'' (1983), in a scene where
Matt Dillon
Matthew Raymond Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including an Oscar and Grammy nomination.
Dillon made his feature film debut in '' Over the Edge'' (1979) and established himself as a te ...
,
Tommy Howell, and
Ralph Macchio
Ralph George Macchio Jr. ( ; born November 4, 1961) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Daniel LaRusso in three ''Karate Kid'' films and in ''Cobra Kai'', a sequel television series. He also played Johnny Cade in '' The Outsiders' ...
are eating at a
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen (DQ) is an American chain of soft serve ice cream and fast food restaurants owned by International Dairy Queen, Inc. (a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway since 1998) which also owns Orange Julius, and formerly owned Karmelkorn and G ...
; ''
Rumble Fish
''Rumble Fish'' is a 1983 American drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on the 1975 novel ''Rumble Fish'' by S. E. Hinton, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Coppola. The film stars Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Vincent Span ...
'' (1983); ''
The Cotton Club'' (1984); and ''
Peggy Sue Got Married
''Peggy Sue Got Married'' is a 1986 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola starring Kathleen Turner as a woman on the verge of a divorce, who finds herself transported back to the days of her senior year in high sch ...
'' (1986), in which she portrayed
Kathleen Turner
Mary Kathleen Turner (born June 19, 1954) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, and two Tony Awards.
Turner became widely k ...
's sister Nancy.
''
Frankenweenie'' (1984) was the first film Coppola performed in that was not associated with her father; however, it often goes unnoted due to her stage name "Domino", which she adopted at the time because she thought it was glamorous. A short film entitled ''
Life Without Zoe
''New York Stories'' is a 1989 American anthology film consisting of three segments with the central theme being New York City.
The first is ''Life Lessons'', directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Richard Price and starring Nick Nolte. The se ...
'' (1989), released as part of a
tripartite
Tripartite means composed of or split into three parts, or refers to three parties. Specifically, it may also refer to any of the following:
* 3 (number)
* Tripartite language
* Tripartite motto
* Tripartite System in British education
* Triparti ...
anthology film ''
New York Stories
''New York Stories'' is a 1989 American anthology film consisting of three segments with the central theme being New York City.
The first is ''Life Lessons'', directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Richard Price and starring Nick Nolte. The s ...
'', was co-written by a teenage Coppola and her father; her father also directed the film.
During the nineties, she appeared in several music videos, including the ones for
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...
's song ''Mildred Pierce'' from the
Goo album, ''Sometimes Salvation'' by
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1984. Their discography includes eight studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer Geo ...
, and
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons in Manchester in 1989. They were pioneers (along with the Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, and other acts) in bringing the big beat genre t ...
' ''
Elektrobank
"Elektrobank" is a song by English electronic music duo the Chemical Brothers. It was released as a single from their second album, ''Dig Your Own Hole'' (1997), in September 1997. It peaked at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. Spike Jonze dir ...
'', directed by her then partner
Spike Jonze
Adam H. Spiegel (born October 22, 1969), known professionally as Spike Jonze, is an American filmmaker, actor, musician, and photographer. His work includes commercials, film, music videos, skateboard videos and television.
Jonze began his ca ...
(who also appears in the video).
Coppola returned to her father's ''Godfather'' trilogy in both the second and third ''Godfather'' films, playing an immigrant child in ''
The Godfather Part II
''The Godfather Part II'' is a 1974 American epic crime film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The film is partially based on the 1969 novel ''The Godfather'' by Mario Puzo, who co-wrote the screenplay with Coppola. ''Part II'' s ...
'' and playing Michael Corleone's daughter in ''
The Godfather Part III
''The Godfather Part III'' is a 1990 American crime film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola from the screenplay co-written with Mario Puzo. The film stars Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy García, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, ...
'' after the originally-cast actress,
Winona Ryder
Winona Laura Horowitz (born October 29, 1971), professionally known as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Originally playing quirky roles, she rose to prominence for her more diverse performances in various genres in the 1990s. She has recei ...
, dropped out of the film at the last minute due to
nervous exhaustion
Neurasthenia (from the Ancient Greek νεῦρον ''neuron'' "nerve" and ἀσθενής ''asthenés'' "weak") is a term that was first used at least as early as 1829 for a mechanical weakness of the nerves and became a major diagnosis in North ...
.
It has been suggested that Coppola's performance in ''The Godfather Part III'' damaged Francis Ford Coppola's career and ruined Sofia's before it had even begun.
Coppola has said that she never really wanted to act and only did it to help out when her father asked her to.
It has also been suggested that Sofia's role in the film may have contributed to its box office performance, which started strongly and then went into decline. Coppola herself worried that she had only been given the role because she was the director's daughter, and the role placed a strain on her during the time of shooting that her mother observed in a series of diaries she wrote for
''Vogue'' during the filming.
Coppola later stated that she was not hurt by the criticism from her work in the film because she never especially wanted an acting career.
After she was critically panned for her performance in ''The Godfather Part III'' (for which she was named "Worst Supporting Actress" and "Worst New Star" at the
1990 Golden Raspberry Awards
The 11th Golden Raspberry Awards were held on March 24, 1991, at the Roosevelt Hotel (Hollywood), Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to recognize the worst the movie industry had to offer in 1990 in film, 1990.
Awards and nominations
File:Andrew Dice ...
), Coppola largely ended her acting career; however, she did appear in the independent film ''
Inside Monkey Zetterland
''Inside Monkey Zetterland'' is a 1992 independent film written by the former child actor Steve Antin.
Plot
A struggling former child actor and now-adult screenwriter, "Monkey" Zetterland is working on a historical screenplay based around the def ...
'' (1992), as well as in the backgrounds of films by her friends and family (for example, she appeared as
Saché, one of Queen
Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala Naberrie is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, appearing in the prequel trilogy portrayed by Natalie Portman. First indirectly mentioned in ''Return of the Jedi'', she is introduced in ''The Phantom Menace'' as ...
's five handmaidens, in
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
' 1999 film ''
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'').
Coppola also appeared in several 1990s music videos:
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1984. Their discography includes eight studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer Geo ...
' "Sometimes Salvation";
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...
's "Mildred Pierce";
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
's "
Deeper and Deeper
"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fifth studio album, ''Erotica'' (1992). It was written and produced by both Madonna and Shep Pettibone, with additional writing from Anthony Shimkin. In Australia and most Europ ...
";
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons in Manchester in 1989. They were pioneers (along with the Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, and other acts) in bringing the big beat genre t ...
' "
Elektrobank
"Elektrobank" is a song by English electronic music duo the Chemical Brothers. It was released as a single from their second album, ''Dig Your Own Hole'' (1997), in September 1997. It peaked at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. Spike Jonze dir ...
", which was directed by her then-husband
Spike Jonze
Adam H. Spiegel (born October 22, 1969), known professionally as Spike Jonze, is an American filmmaker, actor, musician, and photographer. His work includes commercials, film, music videos, skateboard videos and television.
Jonze began his ca ...
; and later
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
's "Funky Squaredance".
In 2022, Coppola guest starred as herself with her husband
Thomas Mars
Thomas Pablo Croquet (born 21 November 1976), known as Thomas Mars, is a French musician and the lead singer of the French indie pop band Phoenix.
Early life
Thomas Pablo Croquet was born on 21 November 1976 in Versailles, France. Croquet was ...
and fellow director
Jim Jarmusch
James Robert Jarmusch (; born January 22, 1953) is an American film director and screenwriter. He has been a major proponent of independent cinema since the 1980s, directing films including '' Stranger Than Paradise'' (1984), '' Down by Law'' ( ...
in a 2022 episode of the horror comedy series ''
What We Do in the Shadows
''What We Do in the Shadows'' is a 2014 New Zealand mockumentary horror comedy film written and directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi and the first installment in the ''What We Do in the Shadows'' franchise. The film also stars Clem ...
''.
Filmmaking career
![Sofia Coppola](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Sofia_Coppola.jpg)
Coppola's first short film was ''
Lick the Star
''Lick the Star'' is a 14-minute-long black and white 16mm short film, and the first film written and directed by Sofia Coppola.
The film is included as a bonus feature on the DVD for the film ''HOP'' from Film Movement. It was also included as ...
'' (1998). It played many times on the
Independent Film Channel
IFC (formerly known as the Independent Film Channel) is an American basic cable channel owned by AMC Networks, originally launching in 1994 as a TV channel devoted to independent films. The Independent Film Channel originally operated as a com ...
. She made her feature film directing debut with ''
The Virgin Suicides
''The Virgin Suicides'' is a 1993 debut novel by the American author Jeffrey Eugenides. The fictional story, which is set in Grosse Pointe, Michigan during the 1970s, centers on the lives of five doomed sisters, the Lisbon girls. The novel is w ...
'' (1999); it received critical acclaim upon its premiere in North America at the 2000
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...
and was released later that year.
Coppola's second feature was ''
Lost in Translation'' (2003). Coppola won the
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for her original screenplay and three
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
s including Best Picture Musical or Comedy. After
Lina Wertmüller
Arcangela Felice Assunta Wertmüller von Elgg Spanol von Braueich (14 August 1928 – 9 December 2021), known as Lina Wertmüller (), was an Italian film director and screenwriter. She is best known for her 1970s art film, art house films ''Sev ...
and
Jane Campion
Dame Elizabeth Jane Campion (born 30 April 1954) is a New Zealand filmmaker. She is best known for writing and directing the critically acclaimed films ''The Piano'' (1993) and '' The Power of the Dog'' (2021), for which she has received a tot ...
, Coppola became the third female director to be nominated for an Academy Award for Directing and the second to win the Original Screenplay award, after Campion in 1994 (Wertmüller was also nominated). Her win for the best original screenplay in 2003 made her a third-generation Oscar winner. Coppola was the second woman, after
Edith Head
Edith Head (October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) was an American costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design between 1949 and 1973, making her the most awarded woman in the Academy's history. Head is cons ...
, to be nominated for three Oscars in one night. In 2004, Coppola was invited to join the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...
.
Her third film was the
biopic
A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...
''
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...
'' (2006), adapted from the biography by British historian
Antonia Fraser
Lady Antonia Margaret Caroline Fraser, (' Pakenham; born 27 August 1932) is a British author of history, novels, biographies and detective fiction. She is the widow of the 2005 Nobel Laureate in Literature, Harold Pinter (1930–2008), and pr ...
.
Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Caroline Dunst (; born April 30, 1982) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the short ''Oedipus Wrecks'' directed by Woody Allen in the anthology film ''New York Stories'' (1989). She then gained recognition for her rol ...
plays the title character, who marries
King Louis XVI
Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was e ...
, played by
Jason Schwartzman
Jason Francesco Schwartzman (born June 26, 1980) is an American actor and musician.
Schwartzman made his film debut in Wes Anderson's 1998 film '' Rushmore'', and has gone on to appear in six other Anderson films: '' The Darjeeling Limited'' (2 ...
, Coppola's cousin. It debuted at the
2006 Cannes Film Festival
The 59th Cannes Film Festival was held from 17 to 28 May 2006. Twenty films from eleven countries were in competition for the Palme d'Or. The President of the Official selection Jury was Wong Kar-wai, the first Chinese director to preside over the ...
where, despite boos in the audience, it received a standing ovation. Though critics were divided at the time of its release, it has since received more critical acclaim in the years that followed.
Coppola's fourth film was ''
Somewhere'' (2010), filmed at
Chateau Marmont
The Chateau Marmont is a hotel located at 8221 Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. The hotel was designed by architects Arnold A. Weitzman and William Douglas Lee and completed in 1929. It was modeled loosely after the Château d'Am ...
. The plot focuses on a "bad boy" actor Marco (portrayed by
Stephen Dorff
Stephen Hartley Dorff Jr. (born July 29, 1973) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Roland West in the third season of HBO's crime drama anthology series ''True Detective'', PK in '' The Power of One'', Stuart Sutcliffe in ''Backbe ...
) who is forced to reevaluate his life when his daughter Cleo (played by
Elle Fanning
Mary Elle Fanning (born April 9, 1998) is an American actress. She made her film debut as the younger version of her sister Dakota Fanning's character in the drama film ''I Am Sam'' (2001). As a child actress, she appeared in several films, inc ...
) arrives unexpectedly. The relationship between Marco and Cleo was loosely based on Coppola's own relationship with her father. The film won the prestigious
Golden Lion
The Golden Lion ( it, Leone d'oro) is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguishe ...
at the
Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...
. In November 2010, Coppola was interviewed by
Joel Coen
Joel Daniel Coen (born November 29, 1954) and Ethan Jesse Coen (born September 21, 1957),State of Minnesota. ''Minnesota Birth Index, 1935–2002''. Minnesota Department of Health. collectively known as the Coen brothers (), are American film ...
, who professed his admiration of her work, at the DGA screening of ''Somewhere'' in New York City.
Coppola's next film, ''
The Bling Ring
''The Bling Ring'' is a 2013 crime film written and directed by Sofia Coppola featuring an ensemble cast led by Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, and Claire Julien. It is based on the 2010 ''Vanity Fair'' article "T ...
'' (2013), was based on actual events centered around the
Bling Ring
The Bling Ring (also known as Hollywood Hills Burglar Bunch, The Burglar Bunch, and the Hollywood Hills Burglars) were a group of seven teenagers and young adults based in and around Calabasas, California, convicted of multiple thefts.
They bro ...
, a group of California teenagers who burgled the homes of several celebrities over 2008 and 2009, stealing around $3 million in cash and belongings.
Emma Watson
Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress and activist. Known for her roles in both blockbusters and independent films, as well as for her women's rights work, she has received a selection of accolades, includi ...
,
Taissa Farmiga
Taissa Farmiga (; born August 17, 1994) is an American actress. Born in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, she is the younger sister of actress Vera Farmiga. Her numerous appearances in horror films have established her as a scream queen.
Farmi ...
,
Leslie Mann
Leslie Jean Mann (born March 26, 1972) is an American actress. She has appeared in numerous films, including ''The Cable Guy'' (1996), ''George of the Jungle'' (1997), '' Big Daddy'' (1999), '' Knocked Up'' (2007), '' 17 Again'' (2009), '' Funn ...
,
Israel Broussard
Isaiah Israel Broussard (; born August 22, 1994) is an American actor. He made his film debut in the comedy-drama '' Flipped'', and is known for his roles in the crime film ''The Bling Ring'' (2013), the drama ''Perfect High'' (2015), the thrille ...
,
Katie Chang
Katherine Chang (born May 3, 1995) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Rebecca Ahn in ''The Bling Ring'' (2013), Ellen Reeves in ''A Birder's Guide to Everything'' (2013) and Claire Connors in '' The Outcasts'' (2017).
Early li ...
, and
Claire Julien
Claire Alys Pfister (born January 11, 1995), known professionally as Claire Julien, is a former American actress. She is known for her role as Chloe Tainer in Sofia Coppola's crime film ''The Bling Ring'' (2013).
Julien was born in Los Angeles, ...
starred in the film, which opened the ''
Un Certain Regard
(, meaning 'a certain glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob.
The section presents 20 films w ...
'' section of the
2013 Cannes Film Festival
The 66th Cannes Film Festival took place in Cannes, France, from 15 to 26 May 2013. Steven Spielberg was the head of the jury for the main competition. New Zealand film director Jane Campion was the head of the jury for the Cinéfondation and S ...
.
![Sofia Coppola Cannes 2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Sofia_Coppola_Cannes_2014.jpg)
An announcement in mid-December 2013 stated that
American Zoetrope
American Zoetrope (also known as Omni Zoetrope from 1977 to 1980 and Zoetrope Studios from 1980 until 1990) is a privately run American film production company, centered in San Francisco, California and founded by Francis Ford Coppola and Georg ...
had successfully attained the screen rights for the memoir ''Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father'' and that Coppola would adapt the book with Andrew Durham. Coppola would also produce the film with her brother Roman.
In March 2014, it was reported that Coppola was in negotiations to direct a live-action adaptation of ''
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
'' from a script by
Caroline Thompson
Caroline Thompson (born April 23, 1956) is an American novelist, screenwriter, film director, and producer. She wrote the screenplays for the Tim Burton-directed films '' Edward Scissorhands'' and ''Corpse Bride'' and the Burton-produced ''The ...
. Coppola wanted to shoot her version
underwater, and although she later admitted that such a prospect was unrealistic, test footage was shot.
In June 2015, it was announced Coppola had dropped out of the film due to creative differences.
Coppola collaborated again with her ''Lost in Translation'' star
Bill Murray
William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan delivery. He rose to fame on ''The National Lampoon Radio Hour'' (1973–1974) before becoming a national presence on ''Saturday Nigh ...
on ''
A Very Murray Christmas
''A Very Murray Christmas'' is a 2015 American Christmas musical comedy film directed by Sofia Coppola and co-written by Bill Murray, Mitch Glazer, and Coppola. The film features an ensemble cast including Bill Murray, George Clooney, Paul ...
'', which starred Murray and was co-written by herself, Murray and
Mitch Glazer
Mitchell Aram Glazer (born 1952/1953) is an American writer, producer, and actor.
Life and career
Glazer was born in Key Biscayne, Florida, and was raised in Miami, the son of Leonard and Zelda Glazer, an English teacher. Glazer is a relative of ...
. The film, an homage to classic
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
-themed
variety show
Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical theatre, musical performances, sketch comedy, magic (illusion), magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is ...
s, was released in December 2015 on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
.
Coppola directed ''
The Beguiled'' (2017), a remake of the 1971
eponymous Southern Gothic film, starring
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...
,
Elle Fanning
Mary Elle Fanning (born April 9, 1998) is an American actress. She made her film debut as the younger version of her sister Dakota Fanning's character in the drama film ''I Am Sam'' (2001). As a child actress, she appeared in several films, inc ...
, and
Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Caroline Dunst (; born April 30, 1982) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the short ''Oedipus Wrecks'' directed by Woody Allen in the anthology film ''New York Stories'' (1989). She then gained recognition for her rol ...
.
The film premiered at the
2017 Cannes Film Festival
The 70th Cannes Film Festival took place from 17 to 28 May 2017, in Cannes, France. Spanish film director and screenwriter Pedro Almodóvar was the President of the Jury for the festival and Italian actress Monica Bellucci hosted the opening and ...
, where Coppola became the second woman (and the first American woman) to win the
Best Director award.
Coppola again worked with
Bill Murray
William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan delivery. He rose to fame on ''The National Lampoon Radio Hour'' (1973–1974) before becoming a national presence on ''Saturday Nigh ...
on the film'',
On the Rocks
Various unique terminology is used in bartending.
Definitions and usage
Straight, up, and straight up
In bartending, the terms "straight up" and "up" ordinarily refer to an alcoholic drink that is shaken or stirred with ice and then strained ...
'', starring Murray and
Rashida Jones
Rashida Leah Jones (; born February 25, 1976) is an American actress.
Jones appeared as Louisa Fenn on the Fox drama series ''Boston Public'' (2000–2002), as Karen Filippelli on the NBC comedy series ''The Office'' (2006–2009; 2011), and as ...
.
''The Virgin Suicides'' (1999)
Coppola was first drawn to the story after reading the book by
Jeffrey Eugenides
Jeffrey Kent Eugenides (born March 8, 1960) is an American novelist and short story writer. He has written numerous short stories and essays, as well as three novels: ''The Virgin Suicides'' (1993), ''Middlesex'' (2002), and'' The Marriage Plot'' ...
in 1995, at the recommendation of musician
Thurston Moore
Thurston Joseph Moore (born July 25, 1958) is an American musician best known as a member of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label. Moo ...
. Coppola said she felt the novel's author understood the teenage experience. She has also said that if not for the book, she may not have had a career in film. Specifically, Coppola has highlighted the representation of teenagers "lazing around," a situation she connected with but felt was not seen very much in films in any relatable way. The story's theme of loss was a personal connection for Coppola in light of the 1986 death of her oldest brother in a boating accident, though she stated that she did not immediately realize this connection.
[ Coppola secured the rights to the novel without her father's help, and adapted the screenplay herself.][ The low-budget film drew praise from critics,][ and represented the point at which Coppola broke out of her father's shadow as a filmmaker in her own right.][ She credits the start of her career to the ]Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...
festival after the film premiered there.[
]
''Lost in Translation'' (2003)
Coppola shot '' Lost in Translation'' in 27 days, with a small crew, working without permits. Scenes were filmed impromptu on the street, while scenes shot at the Park Hyatt Hotel allowed the crew to use its corridors between two and three in the morning without disturbing guests.
The film received positive reception and acclaim, as well as controversy due the film's usage "of Japan as an exotic and bizarre landscape for its American protagonists". The group Asian Mediawatch lobbied against the film's Academy Award nominations, stating "The film has no meaningful Japanese roles, nor is there any significant dialogue between the main characters and the Japanese. Such portrayals perpetuate negative stereotypes and attitudes that are harmful to Asian Americans in the US, where a significant minority of Americans already have negative attitudes towards Asians." Coppola responded to these allegations in an interview for ''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'', "I can see why people might think that, but I know I'm not racist. I think if everything's based on truth, you can make fun, have a little laugh, but also be respectful of a culture. I just love Tokyo, and I'm not mean-spirited...Even on our daily call sheets, they would mix up the 'rs' and the 'ls' – all that was from experience, it's not made up. I guess someone has misunderstood my intentions. It bugs me, because I know I'm not racist."
''Marie Antoinette'' (2006)
''Marie Antoinette'' was shot on location at the Château de Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed ...
. Coppola herself has claimed that she was initially drawn towards the character of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...
as an innocent and caring character who found herself in a situation outside of her control, and that rather than creating a historical representation, she wanted to create a more intimate look into the world of the heroine. The film's style is not that of a traditional biopic
A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...
, and instead utilizes "hit songs and incongruous dialogue".
''Somewhere'' (2010)
'' Somewhere'' depicts a newly famous actor (Stephen Dorff
Stephen Hartley Dorff Jr. (born July 29, 1973) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Roland West in the third season of HBO's crime drama anthology series ''True Detective'', PK in '' The Power of One'', Stuart Sutcliffe in ''Backbe ...
) recuperating from a minor injury whose wealth, fame, and professional experiences cannot allevaite the existential crisis he is experiencing, as he is forced to care for his 11-year-old daughter in the absence of his wife. The film premiered at the 67th Venice International Film Festival
The 67th annual Venice International Film Festival held in Venice, Italy, took place from 1 to 11 September 2010. American film director and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino was the head of the Jury. The opening film of the festival was Darren Aro ...
, and opened in the rest of Italy, on September 3, 2010. The festival jury unanimously awarded the film the Golden Lion
The Golden Lion ( it, Leone d'oro) is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguishe ...
prize for the best overall film. Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, Black comedy, dark humor, Nonlinear narrative, non-lin ...
, president of the jury, said the film "grew and grew in our hearts, in our minds, in our affections" after the first screening. The film would continue to receive critical acclaim, especially from notable film critic Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
of the ''Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...
'' who praised the detail in the portrait of Johnny Marco, writing, "Coppola is a fascinating director. She sees, and we see exactly what she sees. There is little attempt here to observe a plot. All the attention is on the handful of characters, on Johnny."
''The Bling Ring'' (2013)
''The Bling Ring
''The Bling Ring'' is a 2013 crime film written and directed by Sofia Coppola featuring an ensemble cast led by Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, and Claire Julien. It is based on the 2010 ''Vanity Fair'' article "T ...
'' premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival
The 66th Cannes Film Festival took place in Cannes, France, from 15 to 26 May 2013. Steven Spielberg was the head of the jury for the main competition. New Zealand film director Jane Campion was the head of the jury for the Cinéfondation and S ...
. It was inspired by a '' Vanity Fair'' feature on the real-life criminals depicted in the film, whom Coppola described as "products of our growing reality TV culture". The film received generally positive reviews, with many praising its style and performances, while some felt that the film glamorized the crimes in the story and failed to make an assertive message about them through the narrative; "Coppola neither makes a case for her characters nor places them inside of some kind of moral or critical framework; they simply pass through the frame, listing off name brands and staring at their phones,".
''The Beguiled'' (2017)
The film is based on the 1966 book of the same name by author Thomas P. Cullinan
Thomas P. Cullinan (November 4, 1919 – June 11, 1995) was an American novelist and playwright, as well as a writer for television. He is perhaps best known for his 1966 novel ''The Beguiled'', which was made into two films of the same name, in ...
about a wounded Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
soldier in a Mississippi seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...
during the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, and was made for under $10 million. The film exhibited elements of the thriller genre, another departure for Coppola.[
Coppola cited her intrigue with the ]South
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
as part of the story's intrigue. Coppola has said that she "wanted the film to represent an exaggerated version of all the ways women were traditionally raised there just to be lovely and cater to men—the manners of that whole world, and how they change when the men go away". Coppola has cited ''Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind most often refers to:
* ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell
* ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel
Gone with the Wind may also refer to:
Music
* ''Gone with the Wind'' ...
'' as her inspiration for creating a film that was relatable despite its position within a different era.[
The film faced a wave of controversy and division, including accusations of 'whitewashing' the original story after she chose to both remove the supporting role of a black female slave from the film, as well as to choose ]Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Caroline Dunst (; born April 30, 1982) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the short ''Oedipus Wrecks'' directed by Woody Allen in the anthology film ''New York Stories'' (1989). She then gained recognition for her rol ...
to portray a character who was biracial in the original novel. Coppola also faced criticism for minimizing the story of the people experiencing actual hardship in favor of depicting, albeit authentically, the lavish lifestyle of her protagonists, thus minimizing the importance of a weighty topic. Coppola responded to these allegations by citing the presence of young girls among her moviegoing audience. ''The Beguiled'' is not the only of Coppola's films to be accused of exposing the sociocultural affordances of her own childhood.[
Coppola described her version of the film as a reinterpretation, rather than a remake, of ]Don Siegel
Donald Siegel ( ; October 26, 1912 – April 20, 1991) was an American film and television director and producer.
Siegel was described by ''The New York Times'' as "a director of tough, cynical and forthright action-adventure films whose taut ...
's 1971 adaption of the same book.[ Coppola wanted to tell the story of the male soldier entering into a classically southern and female environment from the point of view of the women and represent what that was like for them.][ Coppola thought that the earlier version made the characters out to be crazy caricatures and did not allow the viewer to know them.][
While some critics claim that Coppola intended ''The Beguiled'' as a feminist work, Coppola explained that she is not in favor of that labeling. Though she has said she is happy if others see the film in this way, she sees it as a film, rather, that possesses a female perspective—an important distinction. ''The Beguiled'' was also made as a contrast to ''The Bling Ring'', and Coppola has explained that
she needed to correct that film's harsh ]Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
aesthetic with something more beautiful and poetic.[
]
''On the Rocks'' (2020)
Coppola's next film, ''On the Rocks
Various unique terminology is used in bartending.
Definitions and usage
Straight, up, and straight up
In bartending, the terms "straight up" and "up" ordinarily refer to an alcoholic drink that is shaken or stirred with ice and then strained ...
'', tells the story of a daughter and father, played by Rashida Jones
Rashida Leah Jones (; born February 25, 1976) is an American actress.
Jones appeared as Louisa Fenn on the Fox drama series ''Boston Public'' (2000–2002), as Karen Filippelli on the NBC comedy series ''The Office'' (2006–2009; 2011), and as ...
and Bill Murray
William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan delivery. He rose to fame on ''The National Lampoon Radio Hour'' (1973–1974) before becoming a national presence on ''Saturday Nigh ...
respectively, as they explore New York together in an attempt to mend their fractured relationship. It was released in a limited theatrical release
__FORCETOC__
Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few theaters across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unite ...
on October 2, 2020, by A24
A24 is an American independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution. It is based in New York City.
A24 was founded in 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel and John Hodges. Pr ...
and was released for digital streaming on October 23, 2020, by Apple TV+
Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is a small network appliance hardware that plays received media data such as video and audio to a television set or external display. Since its secon ...
. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised Coppola's screenplay and direction, and noted it as lighter than her previous films. Some critics stated that the film "isn't destined to achieve the same kind of iconic status as some of Coppola's previous work".
Style and influences
Coppola arrived at a career in filmmaking with a background by means of acting, modeling, and design, all of which have influenced her directorial work.[ Her background in fashion, especially, has played a large part in the aesthetic tones of her films and has heightened the roles of design and style in her work.][ Her upbringing in a Hollywood family has also greatly influenced her work, as well as her public reception and image, and she has always had to fight accusations surrounding her background of privilege. After both winning an Oscar for ''Lost in Translation'' and showing ''The Beguiled'', Coppola was accused by some critics of displaying the social and cultural privileges of her own childhood.][
Coppola has described some of her influences as coming from her own work, with each film actively influencing the next.][ She points to Jeffrey Eugenides's book '']The Virgin Suicides
''The Virgin Suicides'' is a 1993 debut novel by the American author Jeffrey Eugenides. The fictional story, which is set in Grosse Pointe, Michigan during the 1970s, centers on the lives of five doomed sisters, the Lisbon girls. The novel is w ...
'', which was the inspiration for her first film of the same name, as the reason for her career in film.[
Coppola has had to deal with sexism in the industry, and her quintessentially feminine work has been dismissed as decorative and insubstantial. Coppola has said that she is proud of the more "girly" aspects of her work and that she feels that she has a feminine point of view that she is happy to project.][ She has cited her upbringing around so many strong men as a possible reason for her strong connection to femininity.][ She has been open about her experiences with sexism in the industry and has cited them as a reason she favors working in the independent realm. Coppola has also said that big budget productions hinder her creative freedom, and so she prefers to work on films she can control. She has also criticized big studio production for its focus on business rather than art.][
Coppola has cited her own perceptions of gaps in the film industry as her own inspiration, explaining that she has always made the films that she herself would have wanted to see as a younger person. She has described this younger demographic of girls as deprived of high-quality videography and as disrespected as an audience.][ She has also said that she likes making films for a young audience because she perceives them as smarter and more sophisticated than they are often given credit for.][
]Zoetrope
A zoetrope is one of several pre-film animation devices that produce the illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of drawings or photographs showing progressive phases of that motion. It was basically a cylindrical variation of the phénak ...
, Francis Ford Coppola's production company, has backed all of her films. Her family ties have proven to hold both pros and cons, which she has articulated. Though she learned from her father and is proud of her family, she has said she is happy to have carved her own way.[ Coppola has also said that she is aware of her hard work and is grateful for her film education and that her connections in the film industry were helpful because of the lack of female directors.] She said that she did what she could and is confident that her work is her own. After Francis Ford Coppola did not assist her in securing the rights to the Jeffrey Eugenides novel ''The Virgin Suicides'', which her 1999 film was based on, much of the criticism surrounding her familial benefits subsided.[ Coppola usually involves her father in her projects. She has said that she likes being independent but respects him and his suggestions, though in the end always makes the choice she feels is right for a given movie.][ Coppola professed a love for being behind the camera and is not upset by the divisive reactions to some of her films. She has said that she "would rather do something that some people really connect to and some people reject" and that she never wants to make something that is just mediocre.][
Reviews of Coppola's works often included "implied, gendered language" which undermine the body of the critics' arguments, as argued by Todd Kennedy in his article for ''Film Criticism'' titled "Off with Hollywood's Head: Sofia Coppola as Feminine Auteur". Kennedy cites multiple reviews of Coppola's work which rely upon allegations of her work as "sugarcoated" and flippant; " heimplication is that Coppola 1) as a woman, only has the ability to make films because of her economic privilege, 2) only has whatever talent she does possess because of her all-powerful director/father, and 3) because her movies are feminine, can only produce pretty films that 'lack depth'".]
Her style of films is described as "slow-moving portraits with bittersweet emotional palettes". Coppola likes to use visuals to convey what the characters are feeling at any given moment. Coppola's films often deal with melancholy stories with a dreamy aesthetic. Her films' aesthetics are influenced by her background in fashion with floral motifs and female beauty at the forefront of the films' set design and mise-en-scene. Coppola's films' focus on protagonists in life transitions and crises in their lives. Her characters feel stranded in their environments and alone even in the midst of other people. Visually portraying the experiences of these characters is one of Coppola's specialties.
Coppola's films often deal with themes of loneliness, wealth, privilege, isolation, youth, femininity, and adolescence in America. Her works utilize the "feminine gaze" and demonstrate a knowledge of feminist film theory, such as Laura Mulvey
Laura Mulvey (born 15 August 1941) is a British feminist film theorist. She was educated at St Hilda's College, Oxford. She is currently professor of film and media studies at Birkbeck, University of London. She previously taught at Bulmers ...
's "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema".
Favorite films
In a 2017 interview with IndieWire
IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Hollyw ...
, Coppola named these films as her favorite.
*''Rumble Fish
''Rumble Fish'' is a 1983 American drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on the 1975 novel ''Rumble Fish'' by S. E. Hinton, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Coppola. The film stars Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Vincent Span ...
'' (1983)
*'' Breathless'' (1960)
*''Lolita
''Lolita'' is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The novel is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator, a middle-aged literature professor under the pseudonym Humbert Humber ...
'' (1962)
*''Sixteen Candles
''Sixteen Candles'' is a 1984 American coming-of-age comedy film starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, and Anthony Michael Hall. Written and directed by John Hughes in his directorial debut, it was the first in a string of films Hughes ...
'' (1984)
*''The Last Picture Show
''The Last Picture Show'' is a 1971 American coming-of-age drama film directed and co-written by Peter Bogdanovich, adapted from the semi-autobiographical 1966 novel ''The Last Picture Show'' by Larry McMurtry. The film's ensemble cast includes ...
'' (1971)
*''Tootsie
''Tootsie'' is a 1982 American satirical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Dustin Hoffman. Its supporting cast includes Pollack, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Bill Murray, Charles Durning, George Ga ...
'' (1982)
*'' The Heartbreak Kid'' (1972)
*'' In the Mood for Love'' (2000)
*'' Let the Right One In'' (2008)
Other work
Television
In the mid-1990s, Coppola and her best friend Zoe Cassavetes
Zoe Rowlands Cassavetes (born June 29, 1970) is an American film director, screenwriter, and actress. She is the daughter of filmmaker John Cassavetes and actress Gena Rowlands. She is best known for her 2007 film ''Broken English''.
Career
C ...
helmed the short-lived series Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programming ...
series ''Hi Octane'', which spotlit performers in underground music
Underground music is music with practices perceived as outside, or somehow opposed to, mainstream popular music culture. Underground music is intimately tied to popular music culture as a whole, so there are important tensions within underground ...
. The show was cancelled after four episodes.
In December 2008, Coppola's first commercial premiered during an episode of ''Gossip Girl
''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, ran on The CW network for six sea ...
''. The advertisement she directed for the Christian Dior
Christian Ernest Dior (; 21 January 1905 – 24 October 1957) was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, Christian Dior SE, which is now owned by parent company LVMH. His fashion houses a ...
fragrance ''Miss Dior Chérie'', shot in France with model Maryna Linchuk
Maryna Linchuk ( be, Марына Лінчук; born 4 September 1987) is a Belarusian model.
Modeling career
Linchuk was scouted at age of 16 while still at high school. In 2006 Linchuk signed with an agency in New York. Along with Mat Gord ...
, was very well received and continues to be popular on YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
.
In October 2014, Coppola launched a series of Christmas ads for the clothing chain Gap.
In May 2020, it was announced Coppola would write and direct an adaptation of ''The Custom of the Country
''The Custom of the Country'' is a 1913 tragicomedy of manners novel by the American author Edith Wharton. It tells the story of Undine Spragg, a Midwestern girl who attempts to ascend in New York City society.
Plot summary
The Spraggs, a famil ...
'' by Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton (; born Edith Newbold Jones; January 24, 1862 – August 11, 1937) was an American novelist, short story writer, and interior designer. Wharton drew upon her insider's knowledge of the upper-class New York "aristocracy" to portray ...
for Apple TV+
Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is a small network appliance hardware that plays received media data such as video and audio to a television set or external display. Since its secon ...
.
Modeling
At the beginning of the 1990s, Coppola was often featured in girl-oriented magazines like ''Seventeen
Seventeen or 17 may refer to:
*17 (number), the natural number following 16 and preceding 18
* one of the years 17 BC, AD 17, 1917, 2017
Literature
Magazines
* ''Seventeen'' (American magazine), an American magazine
* ''Seventeen'' (Japanese m ...
'' and '' YM''. In 1994, she co-founded the clothing line ''Milk Fed'' in Japan, with her friend Stephanie Hayman in cooperation with Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...
's Kim Gordon
Kim Althea Gordon (born April 28, 1953) is an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the bassist, guitarist, and vocalist of alternative rock band Sonic Youth. Born in Rochester, New York, she was raised in Los Angeles, Califor ...
. In 2001, the fashion designer Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs (born April 9, 1963) is an American fashion designer. He is the head designer for his own fashion label, Marc Jacobs, and formerly Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line, which was produced for approximately 15 years, before it was d ...
chose the actress/director to be the "face" of his house's fragrance. The campaign involved photographs of Coppola shot by photographer Jürgen Teller
Juergen Teller (born 28 January 1964) is a German fine-art and fashion photographer. He was awarded the Citibank Prize for Photography in 2003 and received the Special Presentation International Center of Photography Infinity Award in 2018.
Maj ...
. The July 2013 issue of ''Elle'' featured photographs shot by Coppola of Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, businesswoman, socialite, model, and entertainer. Born in New York City, and raised there and in Beverly Hills, California, she is a great-granddaughter of Conra ...
at Hilton's Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...
mansion (Both model and house appear in ''The Bling Ring
''The Bling Ring'' is a 2013 crime film written and directed by Sofia Coppola featuring an ensemble cast led by Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, and Claire Julien. It is based on the 2010 ''Vanity Fair'' article "T ...
'').
Stage direction
In 2017, before Coppola started pre-production on '' The Beguiled'', she was asked by Italian state broadcaster Rai Com from All'Opera to direct their latest production of ''La Traviata
''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on ''La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his own 18 ...
. La traviata
''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on ''La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his own 18 ...
'' is a three act opera by Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...
set to an Italian libretto by Francesca Maria Piave. This Coppola-directed production was filmed for broadcast in Germany and France by Arte/ZDF, using multiple state-of-the art 4k cameras and up to 100 microphones. Coppola said in an interview she "could not turn down the project" with designer and fashion icon Valentino Garavani
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani (; born 11 May 1932), known mononymously as Valentino, is an Italian fashion designer, the founder of the Valentino brand and company. His main lines include Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, a ...
designing the costumes for this 15 show run of ''La Traviata'' (2017). Discussing her modern take on this classic story Coppola says "I wanted to bring out the personal side of the French courtesan, the party girl used to the social scene. It's a very feminine world that I love".
This was the first stage production Coppola directed. Coppola discusses how Valentino "really motivated me to take a chance and do something that was scary for me and very unfamiliar," and promised a "traditional" production that could nevertheless be appreciated by those who are not opera connoisseurs. Rome Opera House Director Carlo Fuortes said in an interview ticket sales had exceeded 1.2 million euros (1.35 million dollars), a record for the establishment.
All fifteen shows nearly sold out before opening night. It was the biggest box office success since the Teatro dell'Opera Di Roma
The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (Rome Opera House) is an opera house in Rome, Italy. Originally opened in November 1880 as the 2,212 seat ''Costanzi Theatre'', it has undergone several changes of name as well modifications and improvements. The pre ...
opened in 1880.
Personal life
In 1992, Coppola met director Spike Jonze
Adam H. Spiegel (born October 22, 1969), known professionally as Spike Jonze, is an American filmmaker, actor, musician, and photographer. His work includes commercials, film, music videos, skateboard videos and television.
Jonze began his ca ...
; they married in 1999 and divorced in 2003. In an official statement, Coppola's publicist explained that the divorce decision was reached "with sadness". It is widely believed that the main character's husband in ''Lost in Translation'' is based on Jonze, as Coppola stated after the film's release, "There are elements of Spike there, elements of experiences."
From 2003 to 2005 Coppola dated filmmaker Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, Black comedy, dark humor, Nonlinear narrative, non-lin ...
. They have remained friends since their separation.
Coppola married musician Thomas Mars
Thomas Pablo Croquet (born 21 November 1976), known as Thomas Mars, is a French musician and the lead singer of the French indie pop band Phoenix.
Early life
Thomas Pablo Croquet was born on 21 November 1976 in Versailles, France. Croquet was ...
on August 27, 2011, at Palazzo Margherita
Palazzo Margherita, formerly Palazzo Piombino, is a palazzo on Via Veneto in Rome. The usual name references Queen Margherita of Savoy, who lived there from 1900 to 1926.
In 1885, the Boncompagni- Ludovisi family chose to sell their ancestral ...
in Bernalda, Italy. They met while producing the soundtrack to ''The Virgin Suicides''. They have two daughters: Romy (born November 28, 2006), whose name is an homage to Coppola's brother Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
, and Cosima (born May 2010).
Coppola and her family lived in Paris for several years before moving to New York City in 2010.
Coppola has maintained a low public profile for her family, aiming for her daughters' lives to be unaffected by her career and travel. When asked if her choices as a parent to keep her children out of the spotlight is a result of her own upbringing, Coppola has explained that she never wants her children to be jaded.
Filmography
Director
Film
Television
Stage
Music videos
* "Shine" by Walt Mink
Walt Mink were an American alternative rock power trio formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota in 1989 by guitarist/singer/songwriter John Kimbrough, drummer Joey Waronker and bassist Candice Belanoff. The band released four studio a ...
(1993)
* "This Here Giraffe
"This Here Giraffe" is a song by American Psychedelic rock group The Flaming Lips. The song was released as a single from their 1995 album '' Clouds Taste Metallic''.
The single was released exclusively in the UK on two CDs through Warner Bros. ...
" by The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals), Derek Brown (keyb ...
(1996)
* "Playground Love" by Air
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing f ...
(2000)
* " City Girl" by Kevin Shields
Kevin Patrick Shields (born 21 May 1963) is an American-born Irish musician, singer-songwriter, composer, and producer, best known as the vocalist and guitarist of the band My Bloody Valentine. They became influential on the evolution of alter ...
(2003)
* " I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" by The White Stripes
The White Stripes were an American rock duo from Detroit formed in 1997. The group consisted of Jack White (songwriter, vocals, guitar, piano, and mandolin) and Meg White (drums and vocals). After releasing several singles and three albums with ...
(2003)
* "Chloroform
Chloroform, or trichloromethane, is an organic compound with chemical formula, formula Carbon, CHydrogen, HChlorine, Cl3 and a common organic solvent. It is a colorless, strong-smelling, dense liquid produced on a large scale as a precursor to ...
" by Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
(2013)
Advertisements
* ''Miss Dior Chérie'' fragrance for Christian Dior
Christian Ernest Dior (; 21 January 1905 – 24 October 1957) was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, Christian Dior SE, which is now owned by parent company LVMH. His fashion houses a ...
starring Maryna Linchuk
Maryna Linchuk ( be, Марына Лінчук; born 4 September 1987) is a Belarusian model.
Modeling career
Linchuk was scouted at age of 16 while still at high school. In 2006 Linchuk signed with an agency in New York. Along with Mat Gord ...
(2008)
* ''City of Light'' fragrance for Christian Dior starring Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...
(2012)
* ''Marni'' collection for H&M starring Imogen Poots
Imogen Gay Poots (born 3 June 1989) is an English actress and model. She played Tammy in the post-apocalyptic horror film ''28 Weeks Later'' (2007), Linda Keith in the Jimi Hendrix biopic '' Jimi: All Is by My Side'' (2013), Debbie Raymond in ...
(2012)
* ''La vie en rose'' for Christian Dior fragrance Miss Dior starring Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...
(2013)
* '' Daisy'' fragrance for Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs (born April 9, 1963) is an American fashion designer. He is the head designer for his own fashion label, Marc Jacobs, and formerly Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line, which was produced for approximately 15 years, before it was d ...
starring Ondria Hardin
Ondria Nichole Hardin is an American born, International Fashion Model. Launching her career with a direct booking for Prada, she has graced the covers of Vogue, and walked for almost every major Fashion Designer; known to the Industry as “The M ...
, Malaika Firth
Malaika Firth (born 23 March 1994) is a Kenyan-born British model. Firth attracted attention when, in 2013, she was booked as the first black model in nearly 20 years to appear in a Prada advertising campaign.
Early life
Firth was born in Momba ...
, Antonia Wesseloh
Antonia Frederika Wesseloh is a German fashion model.
Career
Wesseloh sent photos to several modeling agencies; while others rejected, Modelwerk Modeling Agency signed her immediately.
She debuted at Escada. She has walked for Richard Chai, ...
, and Sophia Ahrens
Sophia Ahrens is a German-English fashion model.
Early life
Ahrens was born in Hamburg to a German father and English mother and grew up mainly in England. She was scouted at age 12 by Laura Murphy (The Hive Management) in January 2015) while ...
(2013)
* ''Dress Normal'' for Gap (2014)
* ''Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and ...
Underwear Women's Spring'' (2017)
Acting roles
Film
TV
Music videos
* "Mildred Pierce" by Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...
(1990) – directed by Dave Markey
David Markey (born December 3, 1963 in Burbank, California, United States) is an American film director.
Biography
As a self-taught filmmaker and musician, David Markey directed, produced, edited, and photographed most of his films, the majori ...
* "Deeper and Deeper
"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fifth studio album, ''Erotica'' (1992). It was written and produced by both Madonna and Shep Pettibone, with additional writing from Anthony Shimkin. In Australia and most Europ ...
" by Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
(1992) – directed by Bobby Woods
* "Sometimes Salvation" by The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1984. Their discography includes eight studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer Geo ...
(1992) – directed by Stéphane Sednaoui
Stéphane Sednaoui () is a French director, photographer, film producer and actor.
Over the years, Sednaoui has redefined his artistic approach to focus on his fine-art and cinematographic projects. New and existing work have been exhibited r ...
* "Elektrobank
"Elektrobank" is a song by English electronic music duo the Chemical Brothers. It was released as a single from their second album, ''Dig Your Own Hole'' (1997), in September 1997. It peaked at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. Spike Jonze dir ...
" by The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons in Manchester in 1989. They were pioneers (along with the Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, and other acts) in bringing the big beat genre t ...
(1997) – directed by Spike Jonze
Adam H. Spiegel (born October 22, 1969), known professionally as Spike Jonze, is an American filmmaker, actor, musician, and photographer. His work includes commercials, film, music videos, skateboard videos and television.
Jonze began his ca ...
* "Funky Squaredance" by Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
(2002) – directed by Roman Coppola
Roman François Coppola (born April 22, 1965) is an American director, screenwriter, producer and the son of Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola. For the 2012 film ''Moonrise Kingdom'', he and co-writer Wes Anderson were nominated for the A ...
Awards and nominations
Coppola's first awards were as an actress winning two Golden Raspberry Award
The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, ...
s for her performance in her father's film, ''The Godfather Part III
''The Godfather Part III'' is a 1990 American crime film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola from the screenplay co-written with Mario Puzo. The film stars Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy García, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, ...
'' for Worst Supporting Actress and Worst New Star.
Coppola was nominated for three Academy Awards for her film ''Lost in Translation'' (2003), in the categories of Best Picture
This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
, Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to:
Film awards
* AACTA Award for Best Direction
* Academy Award for Best Director
* BA ...
, and Best Original Screenplay
The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the ...
. She would go on to win for Best Original Screenplay
The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the ...
but lost the other two nominations to Peter Jackson's '' The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King''. Coppola's nomination for Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to:
Film awards
* AACTA Award for Best Direction
* Academy Award for Best Director
* BA ...
made her the first American woman to be nominated in that category, and the third woman overall, after Lina Wertmüller
Arcangela Felice Assunta Wertmüller von Elgg Spanol von Braueich (14 August 1928 – 9 December 2021), known as Lina Wertmüller (), was an Italian film director and screenwriter. She is best known for her 1970s art film, art house films ''Sev ...
and Jane Campion
Dame Elizabeth Jane Campion (born 30 April 1954) is a New Zealand filmmaker. She is best known for writing and directing the critically acclaimed films ''The Piano'' (1993) and '' The Power of the Dog'' (2021), for which she has received a tot ...
. In 2010, Kathryn Bigelow
Kathryn Ann Bigelow (; born November 27, 1951) is an American filmmaker. Covering a wide range of genres, her films include ''Near Dark'' (1987), ''Point Break'' (1991), '' Strange Days'' (1995), '' K-19: The Widowmaker'' (2002), ''The Hurt Locke ...
became the fourth woman to be nominated, and the first to win the award. Coppola, however, remains the youngest woman to be nominated in the Best Director category. Coppola's win for Best Original Screenplay (along with her cousin Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor and film producer. Born into the Coppola family, he is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Gu ...
's 1996 win for Best Actor) resulted in her family's becoming the second three-generation Oscar-winning family, her grandfather Carmine Coppola and her father Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five A ...
having previously won Oscars. The first family to achieve this feat was the Huston family, for wins by: Walter
Walter may refer to:
People
* Walter (name), both a surname and a given name
* Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968)
* Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...
, John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Secon ...
, and Anjelica. For her work on ''Lost in Translation'', Coppola also won the Best Motion Picture and Best Screenplay Golden Globes, in addition to receiving three BAFTA Award nominations.
On September 11, 2010, ''Somewhere'' won the Golden Lion
The Golden Lion ( it, Leone d'oro) is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguishe ...
, the top prize at the Venice International Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...
. Coppola is the first American woman to win the award.
On May 28, 2017, Coppola was awarded the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
for ''The Beguiled'', making her the second ever woman (and the first American woman) to win the award.
See also
* Coppola family tree
The Coppola family () is an Italian-American family of filmmakers and performing artists.
Family tree
Academy Awards
The lineal descendants of Carmine Coppola and Italia Pennino have been nominated 23 ...
* List of Academy Award-winning families
This is a list of Academy Award winners related to other winners. Honorary awards are included. In many instances, family members shared awards. These awards are counted only once for each family.
Results reflect awards through the 94th Academy ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
"Off with Hollywood's Head: Sofia Coppola as Feminine Auteur"
Film Criticism, 2010.
External links
*
Milk fed.
- Coppola's Japanese fashion label
Sofia Mini
- Coppola's Canned Wine
*
*
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coppola, Sofia
1971 births
Living people
Sofia Carmina
Spiegel family
American child actresses
American expatriate actresses in France
American film actresses
American film directors of Italian descent
People of Campanian descent
People of Lucanian descent
American music video directors
Screenwriters from California
American women film directors
American women screenwriters
Best Screenplay Golden Globe winners
Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winners
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director winners
California Institute of the Arts alumni
César Award winners
Directors of Golden Lion winners
Ethical Culture Fieldston School alumni
Female music video directors
Film directors from Los Angeles
Golden Globe Award-winning producers
Independent Spirit Award for Best Director winners
Mills College alumni
People from Rutherford, California
Writers from Los Angeles
Writers Guild of America Award winners
Film directors from New York City
Screenwriters from New York (state)
People from Greenwich Village
Postmodernist filmmakers