MUBI ACQUIRES INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS TO MAKING MARIE ANTOINETTE THE DOCUMENTARY DIRECTED BY ELEANOR COPPOLA PRODUCED BY SOFIA COPPOLA AND OUR FILMS (MEDIAWAN)
MUBI, the global distributor, streaming service and production company, has acquired the international rights to Making Marie Antoinette, directed by Eleanor Coppola and produced by Sofia Coppola.
This exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Marie Antoinette, Sofia Coppola’s Academy Award®-winning film, was directed by her mother, Eleanor Coppola, and produced by Lorenzo Mieli, Mario Gianani, Rachel Dengiz, Youree Henley and Sofia Coppola. The footage was edited by Aaron Matthews with the collaboration of Eleanor’s dear friends, Davia Nelson and Liz Bird. The film was financed by OUR FILMS, a Mediawan company, Mediawan Rights and Entourage Pictures.
In 2005, Sofia Coppola shot her third feature film, Marie Antoinette, starring Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman, at the Palace of Versailles, securing unprecedented filming permission that had never before been granted to any production. Her mother, acclaimed documentarian Eleanor Coppola, accompanied her on set, capturing approximately eighty hours of footage chronicling her daughter’s journey throughout the making of the film. This year, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the release of Marie Antoinette and in fulfilment of her mother’s wish, Sofia Coppola edited that previously unseen material. Making Marie Antoinette explores the craftsmanship and care that brought the film to life, follows legendary costume designer Milena Canonero at work, and offers a glimpse into what it meant to be a young female director at that time. The result is a fascinating look at the creative process behind a landmark film and, at the same time, a surprisingly intimate family portrait.
In the documentary, Eleanor Coppola’s voice is performed by Academy Award® nominee Diane Lane, who reads excerpts from Eleanor’s diaries, in which the filmmaker recounts her experience on set and reflects on her relationship with her daughter.
Efe Cakarel, Founder and CEO of MUBI, said: “Sofia is one of the defining filmmakers of her generation, with an entirely unique voice and sensibility. Marie Antoinette was bold, beautiful, irreverent and hugely influential; revisiting it now through Eleanor Coppola’s eyes, both as a filmmaker and as a mother, is incredibly moving. We are proud to bring this intimate and extraordinary portrait to audiences around the world.”
Sofia Coppola said: “My mother and I began revisiting her footage during lockdown. It had always been her wish to turn that material into a feature-length documentary. She was on set both as a filmmaker and as a mother, so I found it extremely moving to return to that material and see our shoot through her eyes. I am truly grateful to Lorenzo and OUR FILMS for helping me bring this project to life, and I couldn’t be happier that Efe and MUBI will be handling its distribution.”
Lorenzo Mieli of OUR FILMS said: “Eleanor Coppola is a masterful documentarian, as Hearts of Darkness demonstrates. I feel honoured to have been able to help bring this documentary to life, and the mother-daughter relationship gives the film a truly special depth. Just like OUR FILMS, MUBI places filmmakers at the centre of everything, so it feels like the perfect home for such a special film.”
MUBI will announce distribution plans in due course.
Coppola is represented by Bart Walker at Gersh.
