Francis Ford Coppola

Francis Ford Coppola (alizaliwa Detroit, Michigan, 7 Aprili 1939) ni mmoja wa watengeneza filamu mashuhuri na wenye ushawishi mkubwa duniani. 

Akiwa na asili ya Italia, alikulia katika familia ya wasanii ambapo baba yake, Carmine Coppola, alikuwa mtunzi wa muziki na mama yake, Italia Pennino, alikuwa mwigizaji. Hali hii ilimweka katika mazingira ya sanaa tangu akiwa mdogo.

Coppola alianza kuonyesha kipaji chake cha ubunifu akiwa mdogo alipokuwa na umri wa miaka kumi na moja alipoanza kufanya filamu fupi za nyumbani kwa kutumia kamera ya milimita 8. Alisoma katika chuo kikuu cha Hofstra ambapo alisomea maigizo na kisha kuendelea na masomo ya uzamili katika chuo kikuu cha California, Los Angeles (UCLA) ambapo alisomea uandishi wa skripti na utengenezaji wa filamu. Katika kipindi hiki, alikutana na baadhi ya washirika wake wa baadaye kama George Lucas.

Kazi ya Coppola ilianza kuchanua katika miaka ya 1960 alipofanya kazi kama mhariri wa filamu na baadaye akaanza kutengeneza filamu zake mwenyewe. Umaarufu wake ulipanda sana katika miaka ya 1970 alipotoa filamu ya "The Godfather" (1972), ambayo ilipokelewa vyema na wachambuzi wa filamu na kupata mafanikio makubwa ya kibiashara. "The Godfather" ilishinda tuzo nyingi za Oscar, ikiwemo picha bora na mwigizaji bora kwa Marlon Brando.

Ubunifu wake uliongezeka kupitia filamu kama "The Conversation" (1974) na "Apocalypse Now" (1979), zote zikionyesha ustadi wake wa kuunganisha hadithi za kina na uchambuzi wa kisaikolojia. Filamu hizi ziliimarisha nafasi yake kama mmoja wa watengeneza filamu wakubwa wa wakati wake.

Maisha ya nje ya sanaa ya Coppola pia yalikuwa na changamoto na mafanikio. Alimuoa Eleanor Neil wakapata watoto watatu, Sophia Coppola, Roman Coppola, na Gian-Carlo Coppola. Sophia na Roman wamefuata nyayo zake na kuwa watengeneza filamu maarufu. Hata hivyo, maisha yake yalikuwa na huzuni baada ya kifo cha mwanaye, Gian-Carlo, kutokana na ajali ya boti mwaka 1986.

Coppola pia anajihusisha na biashara nyingine nje ya utengenezaji wa filamu. Anamiliki Francis Ford Coppola Winery huko Napa Valley, California. Ameanzisha pia miradi mbalimbali ya uzalishaji wa divai na mikahawa, akijitahidi kuwa na mchango mkubwa katika nyanja mbalimbali za maisha.

Pamoja na changamoto za kifedha na kutoelewana na baadhi ya watu katika tasnia ya filamu, Coppola amefanikiwa kudumisha umaarufu wake na ushawishi wake katika sinema. Anaendelea kuwa mfano wa kuigwa na watengeneza filamu wapya na watazamaji wa sinema kote duniani.

+ Baadhi ya kazi za Francis Coppola Jina la Filamu/Tamthilia  Mwaka Uliotoka  Idadi ya tuzo  Wasanii wakubwa Dementia 13 1963  0  William Campbell, Luana Anders, Bart Patton You're a Big Boy Now 1966  0  Elizabeth Hartman, Geraldine Page, Peter Kastner The Godfather  1972  3  Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan The Conversation  1974  6  Gene Hackman, John Cazale The Godfather II  1974  6  Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton Apocalypse Now  1979  2  Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall One from the Heart  1981  0  Frederic Forrest, Teri Garr, Raul Julia The Outsiders  1983  0 Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze Rumble Fish  1983  0  Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane The Cotton Club  1984  0  Richard Gere, Gregory Hines, Diane Lane Peggy Sue Got Married  1986  0 Kathleen Turner, Nicolas Cage Gardens of Stone  1987  0  James Caan, Anjelica Huston, James Earl Jones Tucker: The Man and His Dream  1988  0  Jeff Bridges, Joan Allen, Martin Landau The Godfather III  1990  0  Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Andy Garcia Bram Stoker's Dracula  1992  3  Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins Jack  1996  0  Robin Williams, Diane Lane The Rainmaker  1997  0  Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Claire Danes Youth Without Youth  2007  0  Tim Roth, Alexandra Maria Lara Tetro  2009  0  Vincent Gallo, Alden Ehrenreich, Maribel Verdú Twixt  2011  0  Val Kilmer, Bruce Dern, Elle Fanning

Francis Ford Coppola ameacha alama kubwa katika tasnia ya filamu, na kazi zake zinaendelea kuwa na ushawishi mkubwa kwa watengeneza filamu na watazamaji wa sinema duniani kote. Uwezo wake wa kusimulia hadithi za kipekee na za kuvutia unampa heshima ya kipekee katika ulimwengu wa sinema.

Marejeo
 Francis Ford Coppola - Biography (https://www.biography.com/filmmaker/francis-ford-coppola)
 Francis Coppola's Early Works (https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/7155-early-works-of-francis-ford-coppola)
 Apocalypse Now: Behind the Scenes (https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/mar/27/apocalypse-now-behind-the-scenes)
 Francis Ford Coppola's Influence on Cinema (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/francis-ford-coppola-his-influence-modern-cinema-1275660/)
 The Conversation: A Film Study (https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-conversation-1974)
 Coppola's Wine Business (https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeslifestyle/2018/09/04/francis-ford-coppola-winery/)
 Coppola's Business Ventures (https://www.wsj.com/articles/francis-ford-coppola-wine-films-restaurants-11617825483)
 Francis Ford Coppola's Career (https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/38555%7C0/Francis-Ford-Coppola/#biography)
 Francis Ford Coppola's Awards and Recognitions (https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1975)

Jamii:Watengenezaji filamu wa Marekani