Christopher Nolan attends 'Oppenheimer' special screening in Shanghai
Edited by Sun Chao. Subtitles by Sun Chao.
Celebrated filmmaker Christopher Nolan is on his second visit to Shanghai.
A special screening of Nolan's biographical drama film "Oppenheimer" attracts a large audience on Thursday.
Well-known British film director and writer Christopher Nolan's new biographical drama "Oppenheimer" was hailed as one of his best offerings by Shanghai film enthusiasts at a special screening on Thursday afternoon.
The movie will officially be released in China on August 30.
Nolan has developed a large fan base in China with his complete portfolio of movies grossing over US$5 billion at the box office worldwide.
On his second visit to Shanghai nine years after his promotion of "Interstellar," Nolan said he was so happy to be back in the city again and stunned by Shanghai's incredible buildings.
The film centers on the life and emotional struggles of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, and his significant role in the creation of the atomic bomb.
It is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography "American Prometheus." From an innovative perspective, Nolan vividly portrays the passion, determination, and conscience of the man known as the "father of the atomic bomb."
Director Nolan has a large fan base in China.
A local movie buff asks questions after the screening.
As director of the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II, Oppenheimer and his team's invention helped to end the war quickly.
However, it also led to a long-term nuclear and missile arms race between the former Soviet Union and the United States. Even after he was crowned a war hero, Oppenheimer felt a profound sense of guilt at the death of many Japanese civilians.
Nolan told the local audience that Oppenheimer's story interested him from the very beginning as it was compelling and dramatic, and he was always looking for something timeless when he chose a story to film.
"I hope to explore the relationship between science and the political world, and scientists' responsibilities to the world," Nolan said.
The thought-provoking film also depicts how the scientist was humiliated and tortured by jealous politicians after achieving success in his life.
Many historical scenes appear in the movie, such as Oppenheimer's meeting with Albert Einstein and then-US President Harry S. Truman.
The special screening is held at a cinema int Taikoo Li Qiantan in the Pudong New Area.
Posters advertise "Oppenheimer."
Nolan explained that he used colored and black and white sequences for the film's two different timelines. He also spent months preparing for the filming, discussing with the cast what they could bring to their characters.
"We built sets for the Los Alamos Laboratory, shot in Oppenheimer's real house, and moved south to the desert to help audiences experience the reality," Nolan said.
When it came to his great enthusiasm for filmmaking, the director said he felt lucky and grateful for his father's influence as he was taken to see lots of good movies.
Many movie buffs praised the film as the best of Nolan's works for its in-depth insight into the inside struggles and balance of a scientist.
"It's amazing that the legendary life of such a complicated and accomplished person was unveiled on the big screen within three hours," said movie critic Shaomai. "For me it is truly an inspirational movie."
