God of Filmmaking Sofia Coppola director of The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation

Sofia Coppola

Sophia-Coppola-directing Biography:
Sofia Carmina Coppola was born on May 14^th, 1971 in New York City, New York. She was the third child born to the legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, who has produced an impressive list of actors and filmmakers over the years through his extended family. Sofia was involved with the movie business even in her infancy as she played a baby in her father’s The Godfather.

She primarily grew up on the Coppola family’s vineyard in Napa Valley, California, but would frequently move as her father’s production locations would change. As she got older she would play bit parts in her father’s films, which eventually led to small acting roles. Sadly her first big acting job would be her last when she replaced the ailing Winona Ryder on The Godfather: Part III. She received terrible (and unjust) criticism for her part in the film and decided to take a break from the film industry.

Sofia enrolled in the California Institute of Arts where she studied photography and costume design. Shortly thereafter she developed her own clothing line she called “Milk Fed”. Her hiatus from show business was short lived and she was soon back on her feet working on her own projects. Along with her friend Zoe Cassavettes, she created the television series “Hi-Octane” that ran for four episodes on Comedy Central.

She then shot a short film titled “Lick the Star” that was screened at film festivals and was featured on The Independent Film Channel and Bravo. She earned tremendous respect from her feature length adaptation of her favorite contemporary novel, The Virgin Suicides, but it would pale in comparison to the accolades she would receive from her next project, Lost in Translation. The film was an amazing success and would earn her countless awards; including the first “Best Director” Academy Award nomination ever given to an American woman.

Films:

New York Stories (1989)

The Virgin Suicides (1999)

Lost in Translation (2003)

Marie-Antoinette (2006)

Upcoming Projects:

Somewhere (2010)

Other Feature Film Credits:

The Spirit of '76 (1990) (costume designer)

Short Films:

“Ciao L.A.” (1994) (producer)

“Bed, Bath, and Beyond” (1996) (director and editor)