Christopher Nolan touched down in Paris on Friday night to obtain an honorary César award on the forty ninth version of France’s prime movie awards.
In attendance with producer and spouse Emma Thomas, the Paris journey comes within the closing days of the front-running Academy Award marketing campaign for Oppenheimer, which is nominated in 13 classes.
Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard, who appeared in Nolan’s Inception and Darkish Knight Rises, introduced the director with the award.
“The magic of cinema is made by magicians and now we have the distinction of getting the most important magician of the seventh artwork with us this night,” mentioned the actress, additionally paying tribute to Thomas for enabling Nolan to work in full artistic freedom.
Nolan has a robust following in France. Inception bought 5M tickets there to gross near $40M, whereas Dunkirk made round $20m on the field workplace.
The Oscar-winning director mentioned the nation had a particular place in his coronary heart as one of many first nation’s to point out his first movie and likewise get behind his second movie Memento.
“No-one on this planet wished to point out it however Philippe Hellmann at UGC determined it on the Grand Rex and the success it had there modified my life… ever since I’ve had an incredible appreciation for the French viewers and distributors.”
He spoke with awe about care the Paris Grand Rex cinema had taken to present Interstellar a 70mm screening, bringing a projector from Normandy and taking out seats to accommodate it.
“Once I requested how lengthy it was to run in that format they mentioned it was only for the premiere,” he mentioned, including that the cinema had additionally laid on 70mm screenings for Oppenheimer.”
“Once I inform them this story in Hollywood to disgrace them and to encourage one of these respect they don’t consider me,” he mentioned.
