He is one of the most remarkable figures of the New Hollywood that bloomed in the 70’s, along with filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Brian de Palma and George Lucas, among others.
He is the winner of 5 Oscars, three of them as screenwriter (Patton, The Godfather and The Godfather II,) one as director (The Godfather II) and ne as producer (The Godfather,) making the second filmmaker to receive three statues for the same film, after Billy Wilder, as well as the first one to win it for a sequel.
This recognized director, producer, screenwriter and businessman born in Detroit, Michi-gan, rose as one of the main film directors of the 20th century in the 60’s. He suffered from poliomyelitis when he was a child and, being in bed for so long, he found creative ways to entertain himself, even producing his own puppet shows.
With boundless creativity in all aspects, Coppola is not only a master storytelling, but also a smart businessman: he possesses one of the most innovative minds of our time.
As non-conformist founder of his company, American Zoetrope, he personally started and drove the careers of talented artists such as Carroll Ballard, George Lucas, John Milius, his daughter Sofia Coppola and actors such as Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Richard Dreyfus, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton. Zoetrope-produced films have received 16 academy awards and 60 nominations. As screenwriter, director, producer and technological pioneer, Coppola has created a body of work that has helped him shape the American contemporary film industry.
The 80’s were marked by Coppola’s technical innovation. He incorporated a variety of di-verse revolutionary filmmaking techniques and technologies, such as “previsualization”, electronic editing and experimentation with high definition. In the 90’s, incredible block-busters and critics’ successes took place, and, after a 10-year break, Coppola started making films again in 2007. During the rest of the 2000’s, he worked as producer in a series of successful films.
Coppola’s passions extend beyond movies, and his sharp business mind allowed him to find success in different companies, particularly for his studio, American Zoetrope, which has been extremely successful in finding new creative economical and fast approaches for films. Coppola’s quarterly fiction and art magazine, Zoetrope: All Story, has won almost all significant fiction writing awards. Coppola has also opened world class famous touristic centers, wineries, restaurants and ranches. He also owns Francis Ford Coppola Presents, a lifestyle brand covering all the companies he owns and controls. Coppola’s incredible attention to detail turn all of his creations into masterpieces.
Listening to Francis Ford Coppola is an invaluable experience; he fascinates the audience with his humor and intelligence. Coppola is one of those rare people who has determinedly turned his dreams into reality, making him a true inspiration to anyone with a dream. With the imagination of a child and an increasingly curious mind, he continues to pursue his conviction that the magical combination of talent and technology, which was the basis of the feature film's birth, can continue to be combined in ever-new ways. Through his extensive experience, he is able to interact with audiences of different types and interests, both young and old. A true legend, Coppola leaves his audience excited to go out into the world and leave their mark.
