Francis Ford Coppola (/ˈkoʊpələ/; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He was part of the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking.

In 1970, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as co-writer, with Edmund H. North, of Patton (1970). His directorial prominence was cemented with the release in 1972 of The Godfather, a film which revolutionized movie-making in the gangster genre, earning praise from both critics and the public before winning three Academy Awards—including his second Oscar (Best Adapted Screenplay, with Mario Puzo), Best Picture, and his first nomination for Best Director.