MUBI is bringing Sofia Coppola’s acclaimed Marie Antoinette back to the big screen in celebration of its 20th anniversary, with a stunning new 4K restoration of the 2006 film. The restoration will arrive in Canadian theatres on October 23, with the film also streaming on MUBI beginning the same day.
But that isn’t the only way audiences will be able to revisit Coppola’s distinctive take on the legendary French queen.
Alongside the restored film, MUBI will release ** Making Marie Antoinette **, a new feature-length documentary assembled from approximately 80 hours of previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage filmed by Coppola’s late mother, acclaimed filmmaker Eleanor Coppola.
The documentary will open in theatres on October 23 before becoming available exclusively on MUBI globally on November 6.
Marie Antoinette Returns in 4K
Released in 2006, Marie Antoinette offered a radically different interpretation of one of history’s most recognizable figures.
Rather than presenting Marie Antoinette simply as a historical villain or glorified royal icon, Sofia Coppola approaches her as a young woman suddenly placed in an unfamiliar and highly scrutinized world.
Kirsten Dunst stars as Marie Antoinette, an inexperienced teenager who is sent to France, married into royalty and expected to navigate the suffocating rules and expectations of the French court.
Coppola’s film blends period drama with a distinctly contemporary sensibility, creating a portrait of youth, isolation, excess and celebrity. The lavish world surrounding Marie Antoinette becomes both visually intoxicating and emotionally isolating as she struggles to understand her position.
The result remains one of Coppola’s most visually distinctive films.
Marie Antoinette
- Director: Sofia Coppola
- Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Steve Coogan, Judy Davis, Rip Torn, Asia Argento, Molly Shannon, Shirley Henderson
- Genre: Drama, History
- Runtime: 123 mins
- User Rating: ★ 6.7
A New 4K Restoration
The new restoration was completed by Sony Pictures Entertainment in collaboration with American Zoetrope.
The film was restored from its 35mm original picture negative, which was scanned in 4K by Prasad Corp. in Burbank.
The restoration also includes audio work using the original 5.1-track sources, with color grading completed at Roundabout in Burbank by colorist Gregg Garvin.
Importantly, cinematographer Lance Acord and Sofia Coppola personally approved the color of the restoration, helping ensure that the new presentation remains faithful to the visual character of the original film.
When Can You See Marie Antoinette?
Canadian Theatrical Release: October 23
MUBI Streaming: October 23
Format: New 4K Restoration
Original Film: 2006
Making Marie Antoinette Goes Behind the Scenes
For fans of filmmaking documentaries, ** Making Marie Antoinette ** could be just as fascinating as the restored feature itself.
During production in 2005, Eleanor Coppola accompanied her daughter on the set and filmed extensively. Over the course of the production, she captured approximately 80 hours of footage, documenting Sofia’s experience directing the film.
The material wasn’t simply intended as traditional behind-the-scenes footage. Eleanor was approaching the production as both a filmmaker and a mother, creating an unusually personal record of her daughter’s creative process.
Twenty years after Marie Antoinette was released, Sofia Coppola finally returned to that archive and transformed the unseen material into a feature-length documentary.
The result provides a window into the enormous amount of craftsmanship involved in bringing the film’s lavish world to life.
A Family Portrait as Much as a Making-of Documentary
One of the most compelling elements of Making Marie Antoinette is its personal perspective.
The documentary explores Sofia Coppola’s experience as a young female filmmaker working on a major period production, while also revealing the relationship between Sofia and Eleanor through Eleanor’s own camera.
The film also features legendary costume designer Milena Canonero, offering audiences a closer look at the creation of the elaborate costumes that became such an important part of Marie Antoinette’s visual identity.
Eleanor’s journals provide another layer to the documentary. Diane Lane voices Eleanor Coppola, reading passages from her journals that reflect on the production, her experiences on set and her relationship with her daughter.
Who Made Making Marie Antoinette?
The documentary was edited by Aaron Matthews, with input from Eleanor’s longtime friends Davia Nelson and Liz Bird.
Producers: Lorenzo Mieli, Mario Gianani, Rachel Dengiz, Youree Henley and Sofia Coppola
The documentary was financed by OUR FILMS, a Mediawan company, Mediawan Rights and Entourage Pictures, with the support of CHANEL.
Sofia Coppola Revisits Her Mother’s Footage
The creation of the documentary carries an emotional significance beyond simply celebrating the anniversary of a movie.
Sofia Coppola has explained that she and her mother began going through Eleanor’s footage during lockdown. Eleanor had always wanted the material to eventually become a feature-length documentary.
Returning to the footage allowed Sofia to see the making of Marie Antoinette from her mother’s perspective, providing a unique opportunity to revisit an important chapter of both her career and their relationship.
That personal dimension makes Making Marie Antoinette particularly intriguing. It isn’t simply a conventional retrospective filled with interviews and production anecdotes. It is built around footage captured by someone who was simultaneously observing the filmmaking process and documenting her daughter.
Why the 20th Anniversary Matters
Two decades after its original release, Marie Antoinette remains a fascinating example of how a filmmaker can approach historical material without being constrained by traditional period-drama conventions.
Coppola’s interpretation focuses on the emotional experience of a young woman trapped inside an extraordinary world of wealth, expectation and public scrutiny. Its fashion, music, production design and visual style helped give the film an identity all its own.
The new 4K restoration provides an opportunity to appreciate that visual craftsmanship on the big screen, while Making Marie Antoinette allows audiences to step behind the camera and discover how that world was created.
Final Thoughts
The combination of a 20th anniversary 4K restoration and a previously unseen documentary makes this a particularly exciting return for fans of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette.
The restored film celebrates the finished work, while Making Marie Antoinette explores the creative process, the filmmaking challenges and the deeply personal relationship between Sofia and Eleanor Coppola.
For longtime fans, it’s a chance to experience Marie Antoinette all over again. For newcomers, it’s an opportunity to discover Coppola’s unconventional historical drama in a presentation designed for the big screen.
** Marie Antoinette arrives in Canadian theatres and on MUBI October 23.**
** Making Marie Antoinette opens in theatres October 23 and streams exclusively on MUBI globally beginning November 6.**
