Two longtime friends will make for among Venice’s most-discussed red-carpet pairings.
Sofia Coppola is the director of “Marc by Sofia,” a new A24 documentary premiering at Venice Sept. 2. Coppola was approached by producers R.J. Cutler and Jane Cha Cutler to make the film, which is a kaleidoscopic exploration of Jacobs, tracing both his production of a single collection and his influences over time.
Coppola and Jacobs spoke to Variety the day before one important milestone. “I’m excited for my dress fitting tomorrow, with Marc,” Coppola said. “That’s always exciting and scary.” Jacobs was anxious about how the film will go over, but told Variety, “I know I’m in good hands with Sofia.”
Marc, you’ve lived in the public eye, but was there a new vulnerability in allowing Sofia to tell your story?
Marc Jacobs: I always feel pretty vulnerable when I show work or when I share work, but I felt very comfortable exposing everything to Sofia. It felt very natural, once I was over the initial anxiety of actually participating.
Knowing Marc as well as you do, what about him jumped out — not merely as a friend, but someone you could actually make a film about?
Sofia Coppola: I wasn’t thinking of doing a documentary, but I always love talking to Marc. He’s interesting and inspiring. And so when the Cutlers approached me — they had talked to Marc about this documentary, and would I do it? — I thought “I can’t do that. Because that’s my friend, I’d have to do a good job.”
But I kept thinking about how much fun it would be to follow this collection, popping in throughout the process, and then also wanting to share all his references and inspirations with the younger generation.
There’s a real mood-board quality to how the film draws together clips of all of Marc’s inspirations.
Coppola: I wanted it to feel like an impressionistic portrait of him, and to be able to go on these tangents about his inspirations. To try to meander, and discover as we go. It was new for me, and really fun to work this way — we got to almost collage.
Working together, did both of you realize that making a film and staging a fashion show have surprising similarities?
Coppola: I always felt a connection, because all creative people have some similar language, even though we work differently.
Jacobs: I think back to when I first met Sofia, it was very clear that we shared certain loves — artists, musicians, moments in fashion and photography. One of the reasons why we bonded was that we did have these loves in common.
I remember seeing a Fiorucci poster in her house — we’ve always shared that. We’ve always shared Sonic Youth. This felt like a continuation: Rediscovering these things that have always been catalysts for me, for her, or for both of us.
Coppola: Whenever I see a leopard-print coat in his collection, I think of Mrs. Robinson [from “The Graduate”]. We both think of Mrs. Robinson. It’s great to have that shorthand: I was trying to make the film feel personal, but I always want to include the audience. I never want you to not feel like part of it.
Sofia, you’re well-known for films probing the inner lives of young women. Did chronicling Marc’s life feel unusual for this reason?
Coppola: I didn’t think about that. It’s always scary to make something — you’re figuring it out as you go. I just wanted to show a sincere depiction of Marc — I wanted it to feel personal, never intrusive or prying, but to share things that I know about Marc.
