Exploring universal themes of family, love, and loss as well as the implications of more concretely physical phenomena—gravity, matter, and time—Christopher Nolan’s work is renowned by audiences, critics, and fellow filmmakers alike. First gaining attention in the United States in 2001 with the independent film and Sundance hit Memento, British director Nolan has maintained his distinctive perspective with his recent work while also enjoying enormous popular attention.

He investigates sleep and memory disorders as well as the world of dreams not only through the inner lives of his characters but in the form of parallel or nonlinear narratives (Insomnia, Memento, Inception). Other films question the illusory nature of reality and, often at the same time, explore the boundaries of the human mind and the physical world (Inception, Interstellar). His nod to film noir (Following) and the early, illusory days of cinema (The Prestige) show him to be a well-known advocate of celluloid, both 35mm and 70mm formats.

In celebration of 25 years of Dialogues programs, the Walker honors Nolan with a full retrospective of his work and welcomes the director to the Walker Cinema on May 5 for an illuminating conversation with Variety chief film critic Scott Foundas.