IMAX turns 50 this year, and while I do not comprehend how that is possible, it is apparently a fact. In light of the anniversary, a cool special event has been added to next month’s Toronto International Film FestivalChristopher Nolan’s Dunkirk will get a special IMAX 70mm screening at the festival, at the Ontario Place Cinesphere, which also happens to be the first permanent IMAX screen. The film will be followed by a conversation with Nolan conducted by TIFF artistic director Cameron Bailey. Bailey’s comments on the news:

Nineteen years ago, Nolan premiered Following in the Discovery section of the Toronto International Film Festival. We stand in awe of all he has achieved since, and are proud to welcome him back to Toronto. The Ontario Place Cinesphere is the perfect place to do it. This cinema on Toronto’s waterfront opened in 1971 as IMAX’s first permanent home. We couldn’t be happier to be able to provide fans with the chance to hear Nolan speak on the groundbreaking art and craft of Dunkirk.

The event could also presage an attempt to push Dunkirk into end-of-year awards consideration. TIFF is widely regarded as the unofficial kickoff of awards season, and is the preferred place for many studios to premiere their biggest fall prestige pics. Putting Dunkirk into the fest, and having Nolan show up to discuss the film in details, definitely feels like an attempt to get the movie into the middle of those conversations. (The film has certainly garnered enough positive reviews to at least start a discussion about awards prospects, particularly in technical categories like cinematography, sound, and editing.)

Dunkirk is still playing on over 2500 screens in the U.S., and is currently Nolan’s lowest-grossing domestic film since Insomnia. So a little hype and renewed attention couldn’t hurt in that regard either.

 

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