Unseen Versailles & Family Bonds: Making Marie Antoinette Premieres on MUBI Canada
Twenty years after Sofia Coppola brought her pastel-hued, new wave-infused vision of 18th-century France to life in Marie Antoinette, audiences are getting a rare, multi-angle look into the artistry and intimate family dynamics behind the landmark production.
The feature-length documentary Making Marie Antoinette debuts exclusively on MUBI in Canada today, Friday, November 6, 2026, following its UK premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival. In addition to the new documentary, MUBI Canada is streaming Sofia Coppola’s 2006 feature Marie Antoinette, offering fans a complete double-bill look at the iconic period piece.
A Mother’s Lens on a Masterpiece
When Sofia Coppola took over the Palace of Versailles in 2005 – making the first time a feature film production was ever granted such unprecedented access – she was accompanied by her mother, acclaimed documentarian Eleanor Coppola. Behind the scenes of the ambitious shoot starring Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman, Eleanor quietly captured roughly 80 hours of raw, candid footage.
Marking the 20th anniversary of the film’s release, and fulfilling Eleanor’s wishes, Sofia reviewed the long-unseen archive footage to craft Making Marie Antoinette. The resulting documentary highlights the exquisite craftsmanship of the production – including Oscar-winning costume designer Milena Canonero at work – while framing the experience of a young female auteur taking command of a colossal period piece.
The footage was edited by Aaron Matthews with creative input from David Nelson and Liz Bird. Oscar-nominated actress Diane Lane provides the film’s narration, reading poignant selections from Eleanor Coppola’s personal journals recorded during production.
Sofia Coppola on Her Mother’s Legacy
Reflecting on her mother’s presence on set, Sofia shared:
“My mother is the documentarian of our family – she loved to be the observer and had a front-row seat to worlds she never expected. I was overwhelmed with an ambitious production, so I was glad to have her steady presence and her delight in the beautiful visuals, from Milena’s costumes to the 18th-century food reproductions.
“As my mom, she was able to see me tired and fed up – a side I would only have shown her – and she always wanted to capture the truth about being creative. She shot 80 hours, stealthily slipping around, getting footage only she could get.
“Watching the footage during lockdown, it was hard to see myself as a young director not yet sure about asserting myself. I hope people can feel what it was like to be on that set and push for a female point of view at a time when that was unusual. I’m grateful to share this gift my mom left me.”
A Special Creative Kinship: Eleanor Coppola and Diane Lane
Eleanor Coppola first gained major cinematic prominence for her behind-the-scenes documentary coverage of the notoriously chaotic production of Apocalypse Now in the Philippines. Her raw 16mm footage and diary audio recordings became the core of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award and a Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award. Over her career, she chronicled the making of seven films, including Coda: Thirty Years Later (2007).
At age 80, Eleanor made her narrative feature directorial debut with the romantic comedy-drama Paris Can Wait (2016), starring Diane Lane and Alec Baldwin, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. She followed it with the anthology drama Love Is Love Is Love (2020), directing and co-writing three stories exploring human connection and commitment – again featuring Lane.
Bringing Lane on board to voice Eleanor’s journal entries in Making Marie Antoinette creates a full-circle tribute, bridging the voice of a trusted artistic collaborator with the innermost thoughts of a pioneering matriarch and filmmaker.
Books & Physical Media: Expanding the 20th Anniversary Legacy
The 20th- anniversary celebration extends well beyond digital streaming:
· The Companion Photography Book: Accompanying the documentary is the newly released companion photo book, Making Marie Antoinette. Featuring set photography by filmmaker and photographer Andrew Durham – who also had unique access throughout the production – the volume collects behind-the-scenes moments, capturing the candid energy, ornate details, and vivid atmosphere of filming at Versailles.
· The Criterion Collection 4K UHD and Blu-ray Release: For physical media collectors, The Criterion Collection is releasing Sofia Coppola’s 2006 Marie Antoinette in a director-approved 4K UHD and Blu-ray special edition on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Featuring a new 4K restoration supervised by Coppola herself, the release offers cinephiles the ultimate high-definition presentation of the film’s pastel palette and sumptuous production design.
With new documentary access, a published photo archive, and a pristine 4K restoration all landing at once, the only thing left on any fan’s wish list is an anniversary vinyl reissue of the film’s iconic, post-punk-infused soundtrack – letting us spin New Order, The Radio Dept., and The Strokes back-to-back on wax.
Making Marie Antoinette and Sofia Coppola’s original Marie Antoinette (2006) are both available to stream on MUBI in Canada.
