Francis Ford Coppola
Born: 1939-04-07 in Detroit, Michigan, USA
Known For: Directing
Biography
Francis Ford Coppola (born April 7, 1939) is an American filmmaker. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most celebrated and influential film directors. He epitomized the group of filmmakers known as the New Hollywood, which included George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman, Woody Allen and William Friedkin, who emerged in the early 1970s with unconventional ideas that challenged contemporary filmmaking. He co-authored the script for Patton, winning the Academy Award in 1970. His directorial fame escalated with the release of The Godfather in 1972. The film revolutionized movie-making in the gangster genre, garnering universal laurels from critics and public alike. It went on to win three Academy Awards, including his second, which he won for Best Adapted Screenplay, and it was instrumental in cementing his position as one of the prominent American film directors. Coppola followed it with an equally successful sequel The Godfather Part II, which became the first ever sequel to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. The film received yet higher praises than its predecessor, and gave him three Academy Awards—for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture. In the same year was released The Conversation, which he directed, produced and wrote. The film went on to win the Palme d'Or at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival. His next directorial venture was Apocalypse Now in 1979, and it was as notorious for its lengthy and troubled production as it was critically acclaimed for its vivid and stark depiction of the Vietnam War. It won his second Palme d'Or at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival. Although some of Coppola's ventures in the 1980s and early 1990s were critically lauded, Coppola's later work has not met the same level of critical and commercial success as his '70s films.
Filmography
2026
- Pinocchio: Unstrung ... (Thanks)
- Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean as Self
- Vittorio De Sica: Staging Life as Self
2025
- Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
- Megadoc as Self
- Films to Die For as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Eleanor Coppola: Art is All Around Us as Himself
- The Making of Hearts of Darkness as Himself
- Brother Verses Brother ... (Executive Producer)
2024
- Megalopolis ... (Writer)
- The Last Showgirl ... (Thanks)
- Lumière, Le Cinéma! as Self
- Martin Scorsese, the Italian-American Master as Self (archive) - director
- The Preakness ... (Thanks)
- Shadow Brother Sunday ... (Executive Producer)
2023
- Beau geste as Self
- Faut Voir - L'Hebdo cinéma as Self - Guest
- Yellow Door: '90s Lo-fi Film Club as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Family as Self
2022
- LIGHT & MAGIC as Self (archive footage)
- Dans les secrets des films Star Wars as Self ( Archives)
- Winona Ryder: The Ghosts She Called as Self (archive footage)
2021
- Directors on Directors as Self
- Morceaux de Cannes
- Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
- Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony as Self (archive footage)
- Freda ... (Executive Producer)
- Dare la vita - Conversazione con Francis Ford Coppola as Self
2020
- Wim Wenders - Von Filmen und Träumen as Self
- The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone ... (Director)
- Wim Wenders, Desperado as Self
2019
- Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound as Self (archive footage)
- What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael as Self
- Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back as Self
2018
- Friedkin Uncut as Self
- Godfather I as Self
- American Dream: Detroit as Self - Interviewee
- Francis Ford Coppola's Live Cinema as Self
2017
- Marcians as Self
- Five Came Back as Self
- Spielberg as Self
- Five Came Back as Self
- Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story as Self
2016
- Paris Can Wait ... (Thanks)
- The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959 ... (Screenplay)
- The Family Whistle as Self
- Jaime Lerner - Uma História de Sonhos as Self
2015
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- Jay Leno's Garage as Self
- Listen to Me Marlon as Self (archive footage)
- Artistry/Technology as Self
- Reflections in Blood: Francis Ford Coppola and Bram Stoker’s Dracula as Self
- Practical Magicians: A Collaboration Between Father and Son as Self
2014
- Palo Alto as The Judge (voice) (uncredited)
- The Director's Chair as Self
- Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
- Henri Langlois vu par... as Self
- Behind the Scenes of Palo Alto as Self
- Alfonso Sansone: Producer by Chance as Self (archive footage)
2013
- Oldboy ... (Thanks)
- The Bling Ring ... (Executive Producer)
- Milius as Self
- Seduced and Abandoned as Self
- Trespassing Bergman as Self
- Twixt: A Documentary as Self
- Locations: Looking for Rusty James ... (Technical Advisor)
2012
- On the Road ... (Executive Producer)
- The Godfather Legacy as Self
2011
- Twixt ... (Director)
2010
- Somewhere ... (Executive Producer)
- Sodankylä Forever as Self
- The People vs. George Lucas as Self (archive footage)
- A Conversation with Martin Sheen as Self
2009
- C à vous as Self - Guest
- Tetro ... (Director)
- I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale as Self
2008
- The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't as Self
- Emulsional Rescue: Revealing 'The Godfather' as Self
- The Last Days of Marlon Brando as Self (archive Footage)
- The Godfather: When the Shooting Stopped as Self
- Cannoli as Self
2007
- Youth Without Youth ... (Producer)
- Fog City Mavericks as Self
- Brando as Self (archive footage)
- The Blood Is the Life: The Making of 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' as Self (archive footage)
- The Making of Marie Antoinette as Self
- Coda: Thirty Years Later as Self
- Lights, Action, Music as Self
- Francis Ford Coppola Directs 'John Grisham's the Rainmaker' as Self
- In Camera: The Naïve Visual Effects of 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' as Self
- The Costumes Are the Sets: The Design of Eiko Ishioka as Self
- Method and Madness: Visualizing 'Dracula' as Self
2006
- The Good Shepherd ... (Executive Producer)
- Marie Antoinette ... (Executive Producer)
- The Godfather and the Mob as Self (archive footage)
2005
- Saturday Night Live in the '80s: Lost and Found as Self
- George Lucas: Creating an Empire as Self
- Staying Gold: A Look Back at 'The Outsiders' as Self
- On Location in Tulsa: The Making of 'Rumble Fish' as Self (archive footage)
- Lucas, Coppola, and Kurosawa as Self
- Lucas, Coppola & Kurosawa as Self
2004
- Leçon de Cinéma as Self
- She Hate Me ... (Thanks)
- A Legacy of Filmmakers: The Early Years of American Zoetrope as Self
- Kinsey ... (Executive Producer)
- Artifact from the Future: The Making of 'THX 1138' as Self
- The Dream Studio as self
- Tying the Knot as Self
- Forever Is a Long, Long Time ... (Executive Producer)
2003
- Lost in Translation ... (Thanks)
- Jeepers Creepers 2 ... (Executive Producer)
- Platinum ... (Executive Producer)
- A Decade Under the Influence as Self
- Assassination Tango ... (Executive Producer)
- Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood as Self
- Whether You Like It or Not: The Story of Hedwig as Self
- The Educational Archives: Sex & Drugs ... (Executive Producer)
2002
- Pumpkin ... (Executive Producer)
- No Such Thing ... (Executive Producer)
- On the Set of CQ as Self
2001
- Jeepers Creepers ... (Executive Producer)
- CQ ... (Executive Producer)
- The Legend of Suriyothai ... (Executive Producer)
- R2-D2: Beneath the Dome as Self
- Another Day ... (Executive Producer)
- Breaking the Silence: The Making of Hannibal as Self
2000
- The Virgin Suicides ... (Producer)
- The Making of The Virgin Suicides as Self
- One Morning All Over the World ... (Director)
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ... (Executive Producer)
1999
- Sleepy Hollow ... (Executive Producer)
- The Florentine ... (Producer)
- The Third Miracle ... (Executive Producer)
- Goosed ... (Executive Producer)
- Kurosawa: The Last Emperor as Self
- Coppola, un hombre y sus sueños as Self
1998
- First Wave ... (Producer)
- Moby Dick ... (Executive Producer)
- The Making of 'American Graffiti' as Self
- Outrage ... (Executive Producer)
- Lani Loa: The Passage ... (Executive Producer)
1997
- The Odyssey ... (Executive Producer)
- The Rainmaker ... (Director)
- Buddy ... (Executive Producer)
- Survival on the Mountain ... (Executive Producer)
- A Conversation with Martin Scorsese & Francis Ford Coppola as Self
1996
- The Daily Show as Self
- Jack ... (Producer)
- Dark Angel ... (Executive Producer)
- Vem Var Dracula as Self
1995
- My Family ... (Executive Producer)
- Haunted ... (Executive Producer)
- White Dwarf ... (Executive Producer)
- Tecumseh: The Last Warrior ... (Executive Producer)
- Kidnapped ... (Executive Producer)
- The Conversation ... (Producer)
1994
- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein ... (Producer)
- Don Juan DeMarco ... (Producer)
- Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- Marlon Brando: The Wild One as Self
- The World of Jim Henson as Self
- It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein as Self
- Ironbound ... (Producer)
- Traveling Light ... (Producer)
1993
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
- The Secret Garden ... (Executive Producer)
- In the Name of the Father ... (Thanks)
- The Junky's Christmas ... (Producer)
1992
- Bram Stoker's Dracula ... (Director)
- The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 ... (Director)
- Wind ... (Executive Producer)
- Blood Lines: Dracula - The Man, The Myth, The Movies as Self
- Writing with Light: Vittorio Storaro as Self
1991
1990
- The Godfather Part III ... (Director)
- The Outsiders ... (Producer)
- The Godfather Family: A Look Inside as Self
- Central Park as Self
- Martin Scorsese Directs as Self
- Hollywood Mavericks as Self
1989
- New York Stories ... (Director)
1988
- Tucker: The Man and His Dream ... (Director)
- Powaqqatsi ... (Presenter)
1987
- Sacrée soirée as Self
- Barfly ... (Presenter)
- Gardens of Stone ... (Director)
- Lionheart ... (Executive Producer)
- Tough Guys Don't Dance ... (Executive Producer)
- Faerie Tale Theatre: Rip Van Winkle ... (Director)
- Death of a Porn Queen as Self (archive footage)
1986
- Peggy Sue Got Married ... (Director)
- Captain EO ... (Director)
- The Making of Captain EO as Self
1985
- Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters ... (Executive Producer)
- Inside Mishima as Self
1984
- The Cotton Club ... (Screenplay)
1983
- The Outsiders ... (Director)
- Rumble Fish ... (Director)
- Koyaanisqatsi ... (Executive Producer)
- The Black Stallion Returns ... (Executive Producer)
1982
- Late Night with David Letterman as Self - Guest
- Faerie Tale Theatre ... (Director)
- One from the Heart ... (Director)
- The Escape Artist ... (Executive Producer)
- Hammett ... (Executive Producer)
- Parsifal ... (Executive Producer)
- Reverse Angle: New York, March 1982 as Self
- The Making of 'One from the Heart' as Self
1981
- An All Round Maid ... (Producer)
- Rendez-Vous Video Magazine as Self (segment "Coppola")
- Inside the Coppola Personality as Self
1980
- Kagemusha ... (Executive Producer)
- Jerry Brown: The Shape of Things to Come ... (Director)
1979
- Apocalypse Now as Director of TV Crew (uncredited)
- The Black Stallion ... (Executive Producer)
- Perfumed Nightmare ... (Executive Producer)
1978
- The Kennedy Center Honors as Self - Honoree
1977
- Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television ... (Producer)
- Please Turn the Page as Self
1976
- The Godfather Comes to Sixth St. as Self
1975
- Saturday Night Live as Self - Director
- Les Rendez-vous du dimanche as Self
- The Lion Roars Again as Self
1974
- Spécial cinéma as Self
- The Godfather Part II ... (Producer)
- Dinah! as Self
- The Conversation ... (Producer)
- The Great Gatsby ... (Screenplay)
1973
- American Graffiti ... (Producer)
- Paper Moon ... (Executive Producer)
- The Way We Were ... (Additional Writing)
1972
- The Godfather ... (Screenplay)
- The People ... (Executive Producer)
1971
- Great Performances as Self
- Film '72 as Self
- THX 1138 ... (Executive Producer)
- Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138' as Self
- The Godfather: Behind the Scenes as Self
1970
- Patton ... (Screenplay)
1969
- The Rain People ... (Writer)
1968
- The New Cinema as Self
- Finian's Rainbow ... (Director)
- Filmmaker as Self
- The World Premiere of 'Finian's Rainbow' as Self
1966
- Is Paris Burning? ... (Screenplay)
- This Property Is Condemned ... (Screenplay)
- You're a Big Boy Now ... (Director)
1963
- The Terror ... (Associate Producer)
- The Haunted Palace ... (Additional Dialogue)
- Dementia 13 ... (Director)
- The Young Racers as (uncredited)
1962
- War Hunt as Army Truck Driver (uncredited)
- The Magic Voyage of Sinbad ... (Additional Writing)
- Tonight for Sure ... (Director)
- The Bellboy and the Playgirls ... (Director)
- The Peeper ... (Cinematography)
1961
- The Mike Douglas Show as Self
1959
- Battle Beyond the Sun ... (Associate Producer)
1956
- No Cigar ... (Director)
1953
- The Oscars as Self