Twenty years ago, Sofia Coppola directed Marie Antoinette. The film’s cinematography, pastel colors, and unique voice slowly helped it become a cult classic. What made the film even more special is that several scenes of Marie Antoinette were filmed inside the Palace of Versailles.

While Coppola shot the movie, her mother, documentary filmmaker Eleanor Coppola, documented how the cast and crew brought the film to life. But after Coppola was unable to complete the documentary herself, her daughter took over the project. And she is all set to bring it to the big screen.

Sofia Coppola recently appeared on Happy Hour with Ina Garten, where she spoke about her films and career. While discussing her 2006 film Marie Antoinette, she revealed that her mother had shot more than 80–100 hours of footage on set, giving a rare glimpse into the filmmaking process. Coppola explained that her mother had originally intended to turn the footage into a documentary. But when she was unable to complete the project, Sofia Coppola took over to complete it.

"She really wanted to have it made into a film. She passed away a few years ago and I I finished it for her this past year," she said.

"I'm really glad to finish this work."

Titled Making Marie Antoinette, the documentary will give a behind-the-scenes look at the cast and crew and, most importantly, how Coppola brought her vision to life on screen. Eleanor Coppola, the Emmy-winning filmmaker behind Hearts of Darkness, passed away in 2024. However, the documentary that was completed by her daughter will now screen at the New York Film Festival. As Coppola shared during her conversation with Garten, the documentary film will later receive a theatrical release through MUBI on October 23, 2026.

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While Making Marie Antoinette will reveal how Coppola brought her vision to life, the inspiration behind the film is also worth exploring.

During the same interview with Ina Garten, Sofia Coppola was asked about the inspiration behind her unique approach to the movie. The director focused on Marie Antoinette’s emotional state as a young woman trapped inside the palace. Speaking about her approach, Coppola shared that before making the film, she learned that the queen was just 14 years old when she arrived in Versailles. 

“I read her (Antonia Fraser’s Marie Antoinette: The Journey) book, and it was so interesting to me that it made her human and showed her all these details of her as a young girl,” Coppola said.

Coppola studied more about the queen’s life through Antonia Fraser’s book about Marie Antoinette. The film was both praised and criticized upon its release, and it remains one of the most talked-about movies even today. With the documentary arriving this year, viewers may get a closer look at the making of the film and Coppola’s creative vision for.

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Will you watch the documentary, Making Marie Antoinette? Let us know in the comments.