Christopher Nolan Says This Indian Movie Is “One Of The Best Films Ever Made”
Every movie lover is constantly trying to widen his or her perspective, find new favorites, and learn more about the art of cinema – and that includes acclaimed director likeChristopher Nolan. The filmmaker behind hits likeInceptionandDunkirkspent his Easter weekend across the world evangelizing in India – not spreading the word about the resurrection of Jesus, but speaking about the importance of preserving celluloid film as an art form. While he was there, Nolan hailed one Indian movie as “one of the best films ever made.” Keep reading to find out what it is.
Nolan and British visual artistTacita Deanvisited India over the weekend to participate in “Reframing the Future of Film,” a multi-year, ongoing campaign devoted to the preservation of film. As you know, film is a passion of Nolan’s; he was one of the people (alongside Quentin Tarantino and J.J. Abrams) whohelped stave off celluloid’s looming extinctionin Hollywood, and when he’s not making huge blockbusters, he travels the world singing its praises.
IndieWirepoints us to an interview Nolan conducted with theDeccan Chronicle, a daily Indian newspaper. In it, the director mentioned why he and Dean were visiting the country, but also explained that he was there as a student of cinema:
Pather Panchaliwas released in 1955. It’s Ray’s debut feature and the first in his Apu Trilogy, a low budget trilogy about the coming of age of a young boy in a Bengali village. Made on a shoestring budget with a largely inexperienced cast and crew, the movie went on to win numerous awards and stands as a key entry in the Parallel Cinema movement (which preferred realism and naturalism to the stylization of Bollywood films).
We all have blind spots, and it’s cool to hear a major blockbuster filmmaker openly admit one of his. I’ve heard great things about the Apu trilogy for years, but I’ve yet to check it out for myself, so I’m taking this as an opportunity to kick it to the top of my personal queue.
Director Akira Kurosawa once said, “Never having seen a Satyajit Ray film is like never having seen the sun or the moon.” It seems like Nolan has finally seen the light, and I look forward to doing the same.
You can watch the full conversation with Nolan and Dean below:
