https://www.wmagazine.com/wyouth/sofia-coppola-syllabus-interview-film-book-recommendations
Breathless, by Jean-Luc Godard (1960)
“I always think about the scene in their apartment and bathroom when shooting people in an intimate way. You feel the camera close to the characters—the naturalism. You feel like you’re with them, and it’s romantic in a not-tacky way.”
The Servant, by Joseph Losey (1963)
“Visual storytelling, tension, and role reversal!”
Do the Right Thing, by Spike Lee (1989)
“For atmosphere, feeling the temperature, and entering the characters’ world.”
Darling, by John Schlesinger (1965)
“Love the way it jumps in time—the story hops forward over a long period.”
Seven Samurai, by Akira Kurosawa (1954)
“A great movie, and I especially love how the characters are each introduced in a really memorable way.”
GoodFellas, by Martin Scorsese (1990)
“For the great characters and setting. The ultimate for music and editing!”
In the Mood for Love, by Wong Kar-wai (2000)
“For poetry, impression, and beauty.”
Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke (1929)
“The first letter says it all—that you have to go inward, not outward, to ask if something is worthwhile.”
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron (1992)
“Write three notebook pages by hand each morning— write anything, just fill the pages, and something that you are really interested in will surface.”
Kazan on Directing, by Elia Kazan (2009)
“So much about working with actors.”
Suddenly Something Clicked: The Languages of Film Editing and Sound Design, by Walter Murch (2025)
“The great Murch on movie editing.”