Sofia Coppola the top prize at the Venice Film Festival. In 2013, she directed the satirical crime film "The Bling Ring", based on the crime ring of the same name. At the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, Coppola became the second woman (and the first American woman) in the festival's history to win the Best Director award, for the drama film "The Beguiled". Sofia Coppola was born in New York City, the youngest child and only daughter of set decorator/artist Eleanor Coppola (née Neil) and director Francis Ford Coppola. Her father is of Italian descent. She was raised on her parents' farm in
Francis Ford Coppola Lucas, who became his lifelong friend as well as production assistant in his next film "The Rain People" in 1969. It was written, directed and initially produced by Coppola himself, though as the movie advanced, he exceeded his budget and the studio had to underwrite the remainder of the movie. The film won the Golden Shell at the 1969 San Sebastian Film Festival. In 1969, Coppola took it upon himself to subvert the studio system which he felt had stifled his visions, intending to produce mainstream pictures to finance off-beat projects and give first-time directors their chance to direct. He