Christopher Nolan: biography

Director of some of the biggest films in recent history, Christopher Nolan is one of the best known names in cinema. This short biography will discuss his early life, his career, and his main achievements in the arena of film.

Beginnings

Christopher Nolan was born in London, England in 1970. His initial contact with film came at a young age, where he had access to an 8mm camera, and used it to make short films. As he grew older, his interest in the art form grew with him, and inspired him to become a director. He has been making movies since the late 90s, but his breakthrough film was Momento (2000), which was critically acclaimed for its use of non-linear time structure and engagement with memory issues.

Career

Nolan's list of films that he has directed is short, but incredibly impressive. Since Momento, he has gone on to direct Insomnia (2002), a gripping film starring Robin Williams, The Prestige (2006), an adaptation of the book which was an excellent story and film, and also rejuvenating the Batman films, making Batman Begins in 2005 and The Dark Knight in 2008, both of which were immensely popular. Nolan's trademark of tackling complex mental issues in a darkly entertaining way has made him a very relevant filmmaker. He also likes to disrupt the structure of films, taking scenes from the end of the story and placing them at the beginning, which is a hugely enjoyable method. His most recent film, Inception (2010), has been greeted with open-ended success and acclaim.

Achievements

Nolan has enjoyed massive success on almost all of his films. He has been nominated for three Oscars, and won Hollywood Film Festival awards, AFI Film awards and Empire Film awards. Alongside working as a director, Nolan has also been involved on several of his films as a writer, producer and editor, as well as cinematography. Christopher Nolan also founded his own production company in 2005, called Syncopy Films, which has been the foundation for his more recent successes. His upcoming release of the third installment of the Batman franchise, called The Dark Knight Rises, is set to be of epic proportions, and fans await eagerly.