Films are about dreams, magic, escapism and experience: Nolan

Mumbai: Christopher Nolan has been vocal about his love for traditional formats — 35mm and 70mm- over digital and the renowned director today encouraged aspiring filmmakers to believe in and fight for their choice of medium.

The director, who released his World War II drama “Dunkirk” earlier than the scheduled date in cinemas that still projected celluloid, said a film is a director’s dream and it should be their call when it comes to the movie watching experience they want their audiences to have.

“This discussion has risen in the past that why somebody chose to shoot a film in something which is difficult and not digital. They (critics) speak as if filmmaking were an illogical and pragmatic thing to do. But it’s not. No film is illogical or pragmatic. Films are about dreams, magic, escapism and experience.

“So, it is about your feeling towards the medium whether you want to work or not work that way. I am somebody who chooses to shoot a film in something which is difficult than shooting it digitally,” Nolan said here today.

The 47-year-old director, known for modern classics such as “Memento”, “The Prestige”, “Inception” and the Dark Knight series, is in India on a three day trip along with visual artist Tacita Dean to promote the cause of film preservation and restoration.

Nolan said his aim is to “empower filmmakers to view their choices of medium as one thing they have to fight for.” “None of these fights are easy particularly when you are starting out. But they are all worth fighting for as we are all part of that tension and the process that filmmakers go through to tell stories that they want to tell,” he added.

The director was part of the event titled ‘Reframing the future of film ‘ along with Dean organised by Film Heritage Foundation and hosted by its director, filmmaker-archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur. Nolan, who has previously promoted film preservation and restoration in the US, UK and Mexico, said he is happy with the kind of response he has got from Indian film fraternity.

“What we are trying to do with these meetings is to bring together different facets of film production and exhibition. It is to really maintain place that celluloid films have in the future and of course in digital world. We want to see celluloid films as a strict medium and not as technology that is being replaced by digital. It is a creative medium.

“I am really trying to engage filmmakers in this discussion about how we can maintain and improve and continue giving joy through celluloid. What is exciting about meeting people from Indian film industry is that there is a spirit of optimism, films having wonderful future. There is a lot excitement to continue give the audience the reason to leave their home and come together to the theatres to experience their story,” he said.

Nolan added that he wants to preserve history of films for future generations by promoting and protecting the work from the past and “making it available to the audiences of tomorrow.” Dungarur, who is hosting the ace filmmaker in India, said in his career he has shown everything on celluloid and will keep fighting to preserve the medium.

“What is very important as a film preservationist and as a filmmaker is that I have shown everything on celluloid. We are fighting a battle to save celluloid films in India where people are disbanding the films. People are not realising the importance of celluloid,” he said. Dean, best known for her work in 16 mm film, said their aim is to figure out “the ways by which we can keep the film as a medium alive for future generations”.