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Christopher Nolan Biography

Birth Name:
Christopher Jonathan James Nolan
Birth Place:
London, England
Profession
Director, screenwriter

Fast Facts

  • With an English father and an American mother, he is a dual citizen of the U
  • K
  • and the U
  • S
  • and grew up in London and Chicago
  • Was interested in botany as a kid, but turned to filmmaking at age 7 when he picked up his father's Super 8 camera and started making movies
  • Made short films as a teen and while in college; his short film Tarantella was shown on PBS in 1989
  • Made corporate training videos while shooting his first feature, 1998's Following, which was filmed on weekends over a year and cost $6000 to make
  • Came to the public's attention with his second feature, Memento, which was based on an unpublished short story his brother wrote
  • Became an A-list director after convincing Warner Bros
  • to let him reboot their Batman franchise with Batman Begins
  • Is red-green color-blind

Awards

  • 2018César Awards-Best Foreign Film: nominated
  • 2018BAFTA Film Awards-Best Director: nominated
  • 2018BAFTA Film Awards-Best Film: nominated
  • 2018Producers Guild Awards-Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 2018Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2017Directors Guild of America Awards-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: nominated
  • 2017Oscar-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
  • 2017Critics' Choice Awards-Best Director: nominated
  • 2015Robert Awards-American Film of the Year: nominated
  • 2011Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2011Writers Guild Awards-Original Screenplay: winner
  • 2011Producers Guild Awards-Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 2011Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
  • 2011Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Director: nominated
  • 2011Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Action Movie: winner
  • 2011Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2011BAFTA Film Awards-Best Film: nominated
  • 2011BAFTA Film Awards-Best Director: nominated
  • 2011BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
  • 2011César Awards-Best Foreign Film: nominated
  • 2011David di Donatello Awards-Best Foreign Film: nominated
  • 2010London Film Critics Association-Best Director: nominated
  • 2010Oscar-Best Motion Picture of the Year: nominated
  • 2010Oscar-Best Writing (Original Screenplay): nominated
  • 2010Directors Guild of America Awards-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: nominated
  • 2010London Film Critics Association-Best British Director: nominated
  • 2009Producers Guild Awards-Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 2009Writers Guild Awards-Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2009Critics' Choice Awards-Best Director: nominated
  • 2008London Film Critics Association-Best British Director: nominated
  • 2008Chicago Film Critics Association-Best Director: nominated
  • 2008Los Angeles Film Critics Association-Best Director: nominated
  • 2008Detroit Film Critics Society-Best Director: nominated
  • 2008Directors Guild of America Awards-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: nominated
  • 2008Austin Film Critics-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
  • 2008Online Film Critics Association-Best Director: winner
  • 2008Austin Film Critics-Best Director: winner
  • 2008Utah Film Critics-Best Director: nominated
  • 2006London Film Critics Association-Best British Director: nominated
  • 2006Online Film Critics Association-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2005London Film Critics Association-Best British Director: nominated
  • 2002Independent Spirit Awards-Best Director: winner
  • 2002Independent Spirit Awards-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2002Critics' Choice Awards-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2002Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2001Chicago Film Critics Association-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2001Oscar-Best Writing (Original Screenplay): nominated
  • 2001American Film Institute-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2001Toronto Film Critics Association-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2001Directors Guild of America Awards-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: nominated
  • 2001Los Angeles Film Critics Association-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2001Sundance Film Festival-Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: winner

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