Sofia Coppola: The Complete Unofficial Guide

by Christina Newland

With just eight feature films to date, Sofia Coppola has crafted a distinctive hyper-feminine aesthetic, establishing herself as one of the world's finest directors. From her acclaimed first short film, Lick the Star, to her Oscar-winning Lost in Translation and beyond, Coppola's vision and storytelling never cease to amaze.

Featuring fresh insights and critical analysis of her oeuvre, this book celebrates the director's ability to capture the female experience in a way that is real, complex and empowering. Whether it be Marie Antoinette or Priscilla, this guide takes an intimate look at the narrative threads connecting Coppola's films and offers a glimpse behind the curtain of each of her productions.

Written by Christina Newland, veteran film critic and historian for Sky Arts, BBC and Empire, this book is perfect for fans of women's stories and budding cinephiles. It is the ultimate guide unveiling all there is to know about Sofia Coppola's filmography.

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2025

Reviews

[Holden Wunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute dream whether you are a coffee table book lover, a casual fan or a Coppola aficionado!

As a hardcore collector and almost complete in my Coppola collection, this was a huge joy to go through and see my favourite movies more in depth. There are fun behind the scenes images, antidotes, makeup and design department notes, and overall delving into each movie.

[Mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75
there's a lovely blend of discussing the development of her films and analysing them, but i think the editing could've been improved, particularly with regard to names of her characters and collaborators - don't reference jacob elordi by surname alone when you've yet to mention his full name first, that sort of thing. but i liked it overall

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great primer on Sofia Coppola--giving us backstories on both the woman and the backstories of the making of her films. Accompanied by both film stills and behind-the-scenes photos, it is a great addition to the collections of Coppola fans.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Mini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crafted a letterboxd watchlist just for this book

[Mike Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Newland is one of the most interesting film writers and thinkers today. This book is aspirational for me. Just want to make something like this once and have no one read it or care about it.