Embarking on her first film as director, Gia Coppola knew that she didn't want Palo Alto to reflect most of the movies she's seen about teenagers: "the actors are older, their hair is perfect, their skin is perfect, their clothes are way too expensive..." Based on the book by James Franco, Palo Alto is about a young woman (Emma Roberts) struggling through her awkward teenage years. Coppola says that making the film even caused her to reflect on the challenge of her own adolescence. She also shares the advice she got from her grandfather, director Francis Ford Coppola.
Banner image by Autumn Durand
