Hello, Sofia

Interview with Sofia Coppola

Photography by Andrew Durham Styling by Stacey Battat
Hair by Ayumi Yamamoto Makeup by Katie Mellinger
Text by Kunichi Nomura

Perennial fashion icon Sofia Coppola is a director, screenwriter, and mother.
Visiting her studio in New York,
we asked twenty-five questions about her life and work.

Q1. Let’s talk about your hometown and your current home, New York. What are some things you love about the city?: I grew up in the countryside in Napa Valley, which I love to visit still, so NY is very different—and it’s fun to be in such an exciting city that has so much going on. I love the West Village that feels like a small town inside the city. I love that art and film and music and writing all mixed together here, and love that you can walk around and see so many different kinds of people (unlike California where people are in cars).　I love the energy you can feel in the city.
Q2. What was it like going to art school on the West Coast? What was California like during that period?: It was fun to grow up in Northern California. In a small town, we drove around a lot and listened to music. Cal Arts (California Institute of the Arts) and LA in the 1990's was a fun time, around creative people in music and film and it felt free and a good time to experiment and make things without the pressure of social media. Before Instagram, we had a freedom.
Q3. You grew up in a Hollywood family. How do you think that shaped your life?: I was around a lot of film sets and creative people, so I learned a lot about filmmaking and the arts; it was inspiring, and taught me how to be a filmmaker, and approach it as an art.
Q4. We hear you studied under the photographer Paul Jasmin. What prompted you to make the shift from photography to film?: I had always been a photography fan, and Paul Jasmin really encouraged me that I had a point of view in my photos, and this had an effect on how I approached film when I did. I didn’t think of making films until I read the book of The Virgin Suicides and felt I knew how it should be made into a film, and felt protective of it.

Q5. Is there a particular cultural movement or era at the core of your creative practice?: Not a specific time, but the late 1970's stays in my mind as a glamorous time from seeing the adults when I was a kid. I’ve always been interested in teenhood and girlhood, as a time that’s been so misrepresented in film.
Q6. Since debuting with The Virgin Suicides in 1999, you’ve made seven feature films. Over the course of your career, what’s changed for you? What’s stayed the same?: I always try to push myself and do something that is a challenge and has a personal connection to me. I always work from my intuition, and have made that more clear the more I work. I try to put something hopefully into the world that I hope people can connect with.
Q7. The soundtracks for your works are always memorable. How do you go about choosing songs for your films?: I’ve always liked going to see bands growing up and music was always important to me, so I’ve enjoyed incorporating music in my films and just pick things I like or feel right to the scene I’m working on. I listen to music when I’m writing which starts to inform the atmosphere of the film.
Q8. In your most recent film, On the Rocks, which you wrote and directed, there is a memorable scene where Bill Murray’s character asks his daughter “Do you know that a woman is at her most beautiful between the ages of thirty-five and thirty-nine?” Does this message have a basis in personal experience?: Ha, yes I’ve heard that before, and the idea of an expiration date in American culture stayed in mind.
Q9. What stands out the most from all the film festivals and film awards you’ve seen?: Hearing that I won best director (as the second woman, and after many years) in Cannes was very memorable. I was in Coney Island with my kids when I heard, and that week women on the street were cheering me when I passed them—it made me feel united with them.

Mast Books in the East Village, mentioned in response to question #19, where Sofia often goes in search of inspiration. Their online store sells books as well as branded goods. mastbooks.com

Q10. As a director, what kind of moment makes you glad you do the work you do?: When someone tells me how much they connected to a film, it makes me feel like it’s worthwhile and connects me to other people.
Q11. What makes seeing movies at a movie theater special?: I love that you can see so much at home, but the experience of seeing a film on a big screen in a theatre is so different and unique, and powerful, I hope people will continue to go see them that way! You can also focus in a way you can’t at home, and you feel the connection with the audience of people around you sharing emotions together.
Q12. What’s your favourite movie theatre?: I love the Paris Theatre in NY and the Egyptian in LA.
Q13. Part of making movies is assembling a team. What makes for a good boss?: My team is very important to me, and I try to take care of them and let them know they are valued.
Q14. You’ve established a consistent style, uninfluenced by trends. Have you consciously made any adjustments with the changing times?: I’ve always liked simple classic things, and didn’t want to dress like everyone else.
Q15. Our theme for this issue of LifeWear magazine is “The Joys of Clothing.” We’re interested in the uplifting relationship between people and clothes. What kind of clothing boosts your spirits, Sofia?: A pretty dress, or dressing up for a party lifts my spirits! I love to have a uniform for work so I can feel comfortable and not have to think about what I’m wearing and focus on my work, but I enjoy dressing up for a special occasion or with friends who appreciate it.
Q16. If you had to pare down your wardrobe to the essentials, what would they be?: Jeans, T-shirt, men’s navy cashmere sweater, a great dress, ballet flats and sneakers.
Q17. UNIQLO opened its first US location in New York City’s SoHo in 2006. What’s your personal image of UNIQLO?: I like the UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON collection and getting winter basics for my kids.
Q18. What’s your routine like, first thing in the morning?: I have to have tea first thing before I do anything, then I see my kids off to school, walk our dog and sit down for more tea and open my notebook and decide on a plan for the day. I try to balance my time between life admin and time alone to be creative and work on my projects.

Buvette in the West Village, one of Sofia’s favourite spots for meeting up with friends, offers the same menu all day, from morning to night, in a relaxing atmosphere that will make you swear that you’re in Paris. Other locations in London, Paris, Tokyo and Mexico city. ilovebuvette.com

Sofia’s office in the East Village. The assortment of posters and books offers a glimpse into her mind. Andrew Durham, who took the photographs seen here, has been taking pictures of Sofia for years, since her directorial debut. This gave the shoot a relaxed atmosphere.

Q17. UNIQLO opened its first US location in New York City’s SoHo in 2006. What’s your personal image of UNIQLO?: I like the UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON collection and getting winter basics for my kids.
Q18. What’s your routine like, first thing in the morning?: I have to have tea first thing before I do anything, then I see my kids off to school, walk our dog and sit down for more tea and open my notebook and decide on a plan for the day. I try to balance my time between life admin and time alone to be creative and work on my projects.
Q19. When you get blocked creatively, how do you switch things up and clear your head?: When I get stuck, it helps me to go on a walk and leave my phone behind so I can’t be interrupted. I also love to go to the flower market! I love Dutch Flowers in the flower district, where florists go. I also like to go look at books at Mast Books, always something inspiring.
Q20. If your children expressed interest in working in the movie industry, what would you tell them?: I always encourage them to try the things they’re interested in.
Q21. If you could open any kind of store in Tokyo, what would it be?: I think it would be fun to have a little store with all of my favourite things and support small companies with products I like.
Q22. People have been turning to the radio and podcasts for enjoyment during the pandemic. Do you have any favourite programs?: I like Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert.
Q23. What’s your go-to karaoke song?: That’s private!
Q24. Do you have any favourite books you could read over and over?: Anna Karenina and The House of Mirth.
Q25. What would you want to eat for your last meal?: Sushi.

Filmography

Film
TV

The Virgin Suicides (1999/97min)

Lost in Translation (2003/102min)

Marie-Antoinette (2006/122min)

Somewhere (2010/98min)

The Bling Ring (2013/90min)

A Very Murray Christmas (2015/56min)

The Beguiled (2017/94min)

On the Rocks (2020/97min)

Sofia Coppola

Filmmaker

Born in 1971 into a Hollywood family, the daughter of director Francis Ford Coppola. Making her feature-length debut in 1999 as the director and screenwriter of The Virgin Suicides, Sofia has created seven feature films to date. Beloved by fans for the artistry and originality of her scripts, she was awarded Best Director at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival for The Beguiled. Her sense of style and fashion have earned her international recognition as a cultural icon. A mother of two, she is known to be a lover of Japan.

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