LOST IN TRANSLATION

Sofia Coppola revisits her iconic Tokyo-set love story

Sofia Coppola on her winsome drama. No, she doesn’t tell us what Bill Murray whispers at the end. Spoilsport.

What’s your relationship with Lost In Translation now, after 17 years?

I feel very sentimental about it. It makes me think of hanging out in Tokyo, spending time with my friends. I hadn’t watched it in a while and then I went to the Park Hyatt [the Tokyo hotel where much of the film was shot] with my daughters and we watched it. It was really funny watching it with an eight- and 12year-old. “Why is she in her underwear?” It was a totally different view.

Did you notice different things, watching it with your daughters?

I was shocked by how young Scarlett [Johansson] is. I now notice the age difference between [Bob and Charlotte]. Scarlett had just turned 18, so she was really a kid. The character was supposed to be older but I liked Scarlett so much. Charlotte was supposed to be in her mid-twenties. That’s really still a very big age gap. I notice it more than I did then.

You’ve made five films since. How does the experience of this sit among them?

They’re all different and they all connect with a different part of my life. I felt it made a big impact and I was able to express my voice and sensibility. It was the first time I felt like people noticed me and considered me a filmmaker. I thought

I was making this very small, selfindulgent film. I never expected it to reach a wider audience. I think Lost In Translation made people trust me more, and see me as a filmmaker and not just part of [the Coppola] family.

That final goodbye scene was an instant classic. You were originally going to put in some dialogue later. When did you decide not to?

I guess in the edit I decided I just wanted it to be between the two of them. I never meant for it to be a big tease. It was our last day of shooting and we all knew it was the last shot of the movie. There was that end-of-summer-camp feeling where you’re all together and in it, then everyone goes off to their separate lives. That feeling is in the scene.

You’ve worked with Bill Murray again on your new film, On The Rocks. How did you feel reuniting?

I was avoiding working with him again because I thought we’d never be able to do something as good. But that time has passed and I thought, “You know, I love working with him. We’re at a different stage in our lives.” So I just tried to forget about any pressures and enjoy it. He’s such a joy to be around. I hope people will enjoy it. He’s a national treasure.