Eleanor Coppola releases new documentary about filming Marie Antoinette
Eleanor Coppola's video diary of her daughter Sofia making the 2006 film Marie Antoinette opens in theaters on October 23.
Documentary captures family filmmaking history
The new feature-length video diary was created from nearly 80 hours of footage recorded by Eleanor during the production. Sofia Coppola directed the historical drama with a focus on the protagonist's emotions rather than the surrounding politics. The French government allowed the crew to spend 20 days filming inside Versailles for the first time.
Diary entries read by Diane Lane
Eleanor and Sofia edited the raw footage together during the Covid lockdown period. Diary entries written by Eleanor are sensitively read by actress Diane Lane in the final release. The project honors a mother who often prioritized caring for her family over other pursuits.
Contrast with previous documentary work
This tender home movie differs significantly from Hearts of Darkness, which chronicled the tumultuous making of Apocalypse Now. Eleanor previously captured her family's love of filmmaking in that earlier documentary debut before passing away in 2024.
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- Harper's Bazaar
- The Guardian
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