Sofia Coppola says it was ‘embarrassing’ to see herself snapping at mother in ‘Making Marie Antoinette’

Sofia Coppola has admitted that watching herself snap at her late mother, Eleanor Coppola, in behind-the-scenes footage from Marie Antoinette was embarrassing, but she ultimately decided to keep the candid moments in a new documentary honouring her mother’s vision.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker revisits the making of her 2006 period drama in Making Marie Antoinette, a documentary assembled from around 80 hours of footage Eleanor filmed during the production. The material captures Sofia directing the film, which starred Kirsten Dunst as the French queen, and offers an intimate look at the pressures and creative decisions behind the ambitious project.

One particularly personal scene shows Sofia sitting in her trailer while her mother asks her questions. Tired from the demands of the production and a press junket, the director expresses frustration at having to talk when she wants to prepare for filming.

“I was snapping at my mom. But it’s real,” Sofia said while reflecting on the footage, acknowledging that she would not have wanted the public to see that side of herself.

Rather than remove the scene, Sofia chose to preserve it because it reflected the honesty Eleanor wanted from the documentary. She explained that her mother was interested in showing the reality of filmmaking, including moments that were less flattering or polished.

The project also gave Sofia an opportunity to look back at herself as a younger filmmaker. Marie Antoinette was only her third feature film, and she said the footage reminded her of how much she has grown more comfortable asserting herself over the years.

Eleanor began revisiting the footage with her daughter during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the family was together at their home in Napa Valley. She had long wanted the material to become a documentary, but died in April 2024 before the project could be completed. Sofia subsequently worked with editor Aaron Matthews and other collaborators to bring her mother’s vision to the screen.

The documentary includes Diane Lane reading Eleanor’s journal entries from the period, adding her perspective to the footage. It also captures moments from the production involving Dunst, Jason Schwartzman and other members of the cast and crew.

Beyond the personal exchanges between mother and daughter, the film documents Sofia’s efforts to defend her creative choices on a large production. One recurring theme is her commitment to telling the story from Marie Antoinette’s perspective, even when members of the crew advocated for a greater focus on the male characters.

Sofia said revisiting the material has also given her a deeper appreciation of her mother’s perspective, particularly as she is now a mother herself. Completing the documentary became a way to fulfil Eleanor’s wishes while preserving her work as a documentarian.

Making Marie Antoinette arrives as Sofia’s original film marks its 20th anniversary. Initially met with mixed reviews, the period drama has since developed a devoted following, with renewed attention being paid to its distinctive visuals, costumes and approach to the historical genre.