In its ongoing mission to preserve and celebrate America’s film heritage, the Library of Congress will host celebrated filmmaker Christopher Nolan for a special conversation with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on the evening of Thursday, November 2.
“As a member of our National Film Preservation Board, Christopher Nolan is a strong advocate for the preservation of this important part of our cultural history,” said Hayden. “We’re proud to work with him and the entire film community—including writers, directors, actors, studio executives, theater owners and archivists—to make a lasting contribution to film preservation.”
The conversation will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium on the ground floor of the iconic Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required and there may be special restrictions. Tickets will be available beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19. For more information and to secure tickets, visit this event ticketing site:https://christophernolanatlc.eventbrite.com/ .
During the program, the Librarian and Nolan will discuss a variety of topics, encompassing his personal experiences as a director, writer and producer of some of the most popular and acclaimed movies in cinematic history, including his latest achievement, the World War II epic “Dunkirk”; the importance of film preservation; the influence of film on history and culture; the concept of physical film as a medium and artifact; the value of continuing to shoot film in a post digital age; and the theatrical experience of film.
Several Library of Congress studies have painted a dire picture of the health of the nation’s audiovisual heritage. About 70 percent of feature-length silent films made in America have been completely lost. Established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, and reauthorized most recently in 2016, the Library’s National Film Preservation Board and National Film Registry work to ensure the survival, conservation and increased public availability of America’s film heritage.
"Throughout its history, film has been a powerful force in the human experience,” said Nolan. “Protecting our film heritage goes far beyond the scope of a single institution. Our collective challenge is to safeguard our cinematic legacy for the study and enjoyment of future generations.”
Born in London, Nolan began making movies at an early age with his father’s Super 8mm camera. While studying English literature at the University College London, he honed his skills, learning the guerrilla film techniques he later used to make his first feature, “Following.” He then wrote and directed such critically acclaimed films as the 2000 independent feature “Memento,” the psychological thriller “Insomnia,” and mystery thriller “The Prestige.” Nolan went on to write, direct and produce the blockbuster “The Dark Knight” trilogy, beginning in 2005 with “Batman Begins.” He followed three years later with “The Dark Knight,” which received eight Oscar nominations, and then, in 2012, with the final film in the trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises.” Each of the last two films earned more than a billion dollars worldwide.
Nolan directed and produced the 2010 sci-fi thriller “Inception” from his own original screenplay. That film won four Academy Awards and received four more Oscar nominations, including two for Nolan for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Nolan’s widely praised 2014 film, “Interstellar,” earned five Academy Award nominations and four BAFTA Award nominations, winning both in the category of Best Visual Effects. Nolan most recently directed, wrote and produced the epic “Dunkirk.” He and Emma Thomas, his wife and producing partner, also helm their own production company, Syncopy.
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