Sofia Coppola identifies Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 film Breathless as a pivotal childhood discovery that reshaped her perception of what cinema could achieve. Viewing it at age 12, she was struck by its intimate camera work, naturalistic performances, and rejection of conventional narrative structures, recognizing that filmmaking could function as a space for creative experimentation rather than merely conveying plot.

Godard's revolutionary techniques—handheld cinematography and unconventional editing—made him central to the French New Wave movement. Coppola's appreciation for these methods has persisted throughout her career; she actively references Breathless when developing her own directorial projects and even incorporated visual references from it into her 2020 film On the Rocks, illustrating how a film from over six decades ago continues to inspire contemporary filmmakers.