In an industry filled with men since the beginning of its creation it is always refreshing to see women coming to the forefront of film. Countless women have accomplished great things and made names for themselves. This is precisely what Sofia Coppola has done. She has become one of the leading female directors and with fairly a short filmography. In honor of her new film, The Beguiled, it is only right that more light be shed on her life and her career.

Beginnings

If you are a fan of film in any regard than you know who Sofia Coppola?s father is. Why yes, it is Francis Ford Coppola! If you are drawing a blank as to who that is then it is recommended that you do some reading. Sofia Coppola was born in New York City, New York to Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola in 1971. She started her career in film at an early age. Her first appearance on screen was as an infant in The Godfather. Coppola would then go on to play different roles in the following two films in the trilogy as she grew older. It could be said that she was predisposed to have a knack for film, but her first career choice was in fashion. At the young age of fifteen she interned for the high-end fashion company Chanel. Her fashion pursuits did not end there. Coppola graduated from St. Helena High School in 1989 and went on to attend Mills College and the California Institute of the Arts. However, she decided to drop out of college to create her own clothing line.

Acting

As previously mentioned, Coppola started her acting career as an infant. She played Michael Francis Rizzi in The Godfather, then and immigrant child in Part II, and Michael Corleone?s daughter in Part III. Coppola actually played small roles in seven of her father?s films. This has led her to receive minimal praise when it comes to her acting career. Many people believed that her acting career was based on favoritism because of who she is related to. Coppola?s esteem has not been altered by the criticism because she was particularly interested in being an actress.

Filmmaking

Filmmaking is where Coppola has flourished. Her first film was a short titled, Lick the Star, which would frequently play on the television channel IFC. She made her feature film directorial debut with The Virgin Suicides in 1999. It garnered much praise at the Sundance film festival that year. Her second feature film in 2003, Lost in Translation, was an even bigger success. It won her an academy award for best original screenplay and three Golden Globe awards. With that she became the third female director to be nominated for an Academy Award for Directing. She was also the second female to win an Academy Award for her screenplay. Her third feature in 2006, Marie Antoinette, premiered at the Cannes Festival receiving mixed reviews. Coppola?s other films include Somewhere, The Bling Ring, A Very Murray Christmas, and the recently released, The Beguiled.

The Beguiled

Coppola?s most recent feature, The Beguiled, was released in theaters this year on June 23rd. It is an interesting story that takes place in the midst of the American Civil War. A wounded Northern soldier is found in the woods of Virginia and is taken in by a small girl?s school. The girl?s nurse the soldier and heal his wounds. However, being southern, the girls are unsure of their new guest. He is after all an enemy of The Confederacy. Tensions rise between the girls and the soldier until it all unravels in an unexpected, yet delightful, turn of events. The film has received a lot of positive criticism and stands at a seventy-eight percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Being hailed as one of the top movies of this summer, The Beguiled, is a must see!

Other Endeavors

Coppola?s endeavors are not limited to acting and filmmaking. She has also tried her fair share of modeling. In her early modeling career, she was featured in magazines such as Seventeen. She then went on to be the face of Marc Jacobs house?s fragrance. Coppola has also dabbled in stage direction. She is currently in production of opera La Traviata.

Celebrate

Overall, Sofia Coppola is celebrated and revered for all that she has contributed to film. She certainly has been given the gift of directing from her father. For that, film lovers are grateful. However, what is most impressive about her is the fact she as the ability to do more than direct. For each of the films she has made she not only directed, but wrote the screenplay and produced as well. That takes extreme will power and patience for the process that is movie making. Rarely do filmmakers partake in every single part of the creation process. More often than not directors direct, writers write, and producers produce. Not Sofia Coppola. She does it all and does it powerfully. In honor of Sofia Coppola, go watch The Beguiled. Do it just like her father, Francis Ford Coppola, probably did. With a cigar in hand! Go a step further to celebrate and customize your cigar band at customtobacco.com. Customize the band with ?Sofia Coppola? or ?The Beguiled.? Whatever you do, celebrate film!