# The trailblazing director who inspired Sofia Coppola in an industry full of “macho guys”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-trailblazing-director-who-inspired-sofia-coppola-in-an-industry-full-of-macho-guys/
- Published: 2026-11-08T19:45:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-08T20:28:01+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/trailblazing-director-who-inspired-sofia-coppola/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Jane Campion was a key inspiration for Sofia Coppola.
- Coppola admired Campion as a strong female voice in film.
- Campion won Best Director for *The Power of the Dog*.

## Summary

Sofia Coppola has said that New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion was a major influence on her, giving her an example of a strong female voice in an industry surrounded by “macho guys”. Campion’s work helped show Coppola that she could make films centred on women and femininity, themes that have often been undervalued in cinema.

Coppola began directing in the 1990s, releasing her short film *Lick the Star* in 1998 and her first feature, *The Virgin Suicides*, the following year; she later won an Oscar for the screenplay of *Lost in Translation*. Campion made films including *Sweetie*, *An Angel at My Table* and *The Piano*, which made her the second woman nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. She later won that award for *The Power of the Dog*.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.