A major Christopher Nolan retrospective is set for Toronto’s TIFF Lightbox, featuring exclusive 35mm and 70mm screenings plus live and interactive events—kicking off with “The Big Picture: Live from TIFF Lightbox” on July 8 and reaching “The Odyssey” in theate
Toronto is preparing for a summer where movie screens won’t just glow—they’ll go analog.
At TIFF Lightbox. a massive Christopher Nolan retrospective arrives as part of TIFF’s Summer Marquee series. with the season starting a little earlier for the city than it will for most movie-goers elsewhere. The kickoff comes on July 8 with “The Big Picture: Live from TIFF Lightbox. ” and it runs through August 20 under a banner of screenings that will be shown exclusively on 35mm and 70mm film.
The spotlight begins even before Toronto’s wider summer film calendar, including Christopher Nolan’s new big-screen outing: his vision of the classic Homer epic “The Odyssey” is set to arrive in theaters on July 17 with an all-star cast.
Inside the Nolan retrospective, TIFF will also stage additional events around the screenings. To launch the series. “The Ringer” and Spotify’s “The Big Picture” will host a live podcast recording at TIFF Lightbox with Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins—marking the first time the podcast has been recorded in Canada.
Program highlights include a Silver Screenings presentation of “The Right Stuff” on July 24. That screening will be preceded by an in-cinema talk from a space exploration expert and accompanied by a free pop-up planetarium activation in the Lightbox atrium. with the events happening in partnership with Space Place Canada and Astronomy in Action.
On July 18, TIFF will bring in a wink to the “Barbenheimer” moment with a Quote Along screening of “Barbie” directly before “Oppenheimer.” For July 12, a free and interactive Introduction to Film Formats event is programmed in collaboration with IMAX.
TIFF also announced that—alongside the Nolan series—there will be a fall and winter animation-focused program curated by Masaaki Yuasa.
“The marquee series at TIFF Lightbox was envisioned to present big artists and ideas that capture and shape popular imagination. ” said Anita Lee. Chief Programming Officer. TIFF. in an official statement. “Christopher Nolan is one of the most influential voices in contemporary cinema today. where each new film is a cultural event. while anime continues to explode as an art force shaping global entertainment across mediums. These programs offer audiences of all ages a compelling look at the scale, creativity, and innovation that define film today.”.
Alongside the calendar itself, TIFF has also laid out the full run of the Christopher Nolan: “Grand Designs” series, which begins July 8 and includes repeats across the month for some fan-favorite titles.
Christopher Nolan: “Grand Designs,” July 8 – August 20
July
– July 8. 7:00 PM – “The Big Picture: Live from TIFF Lightbox”
– July 9. 7:00 PM – “Tenet” (2020) in 70mm. with Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins
– July 10. 6:30 PM – “Memento” (2000) in 35mm
– July 11. 4:00 PM – “Following” (1998) in 35mm. with guest Adam Nayman
– July 12. 3:00 PM – “Oppenheimer” (2023) in 70mm
– July 14. 6:00 PM – “Tenet” (2020) in 70mm
– July 16. 6:00 PM – “The Prestige” (2006) in 35mm. with Scott Hammell (magician and stunt artist)
– July 17. 6:00 PM – “Following” (1998) in 35mm
– July 18. 4:00 PM – “Oppenheimer” (2023) in 70mm
– July 19. 3:00 PM – “Memento” (2000) in 35mm
– July 19. 7:00 PM – “Tenet” (2020) in 70mm
– July 22. 7:00 PM – “Oppenheimer” (2023) in 70mm
– July 25. 3:00 PM – “Inception” (2010) in 35mm. with pre-screening discussion by author/journalist Dan Jolin
– July 26. 3:00 PM – “The Prestige” (2006) in 35mm
– July 28. 6:30 PM – “Insomnia” (2002) in 35mm
– July 31. 6:00 PM – “Batman Begins” (2005) in 35mm.
August
– August 1. 6:00 PM – “The Dark Knight” (2008) in 35mm. with recorded introduction by Academy Award–winning sound designer Richard King
– August 2. 6:00 PM – “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) in 35mm
– August 6. 6:30 PM – “Inception” (2010) in 35mm
– August 7. 6:30 PM – “Interstellar” (2014) in 70mm
– August 8. 3:00 PM – “Batman Begins” (2005) in 35mm
– August 9. 4:00 PM – “Interstellar” (2014) in 70mm
– August 12. 6:00 PM – “Dunkirk” (2017) in 70mm
– August 14. 6:00 PM – “Insomnia” (2002) in 35mm
– August 15. 3:30 PM – “The Dark Knight” (2008) in 35mm. with recorded introduction by Richard King
– August 15. 8:00 PM – “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) in 35mm
– August 16. 4:00 PM – “Dunkirk” (2017) in 70mm
– August 18. 7:30 PM – “Interstellar” (2014) in 70mm
– August 20. 5:30 PM – “Dunkirk” (2017) in 70mm. preceded by Nolan Trivia presented by Air France.
Beyond the Nolan retrospective, TIFF is also offering “Drawn Universes: Visions in Animation,” an animated-focused series taking place in November and December. Masaaki Yuasa—one of Japan’s most celebrated and influential anime filmmakers—will guest-curate the series.
“It is an honour to curate this series for TIFF,” Yuasa said in an official statement. “I am looking forward to finally meeting the Toronto audience that I have heard so much about. As I begin shaping the lineup. I am excited to revisit the works that sparked my imagination from a young age. and to highlight the artists who have defined the genre alongside the incredible creators continuing to push the visual possibilities of anime today. I hope to bring a program that truly surprises and delights everyone.”.
Christopher Nolan TIFF Lightbox Toronto Nolan retrospective Grand Designs 35mm 70mm The Big Picture The Ringer Spotify Sean Fennessey Amanda Dobbins Oppenheimer Tenet Memento Inception Interstellar Dunkirk The Dark Knight Barbie Masaaki Yuasa Drawn Universes