This summer your students will be buzzing aboutthe latest blockbuster from British director Christopher Nolan (Inception, The Dark Knight Trilogy), as it marks Harry Styles’ (from One Direction) film debut.Why would that be of interest to you, we hear you say? Well, the film in question, Dunkirk,tells the story of the Dunkirk evacuation, meaning this is the perfect time to discuss with your students the real story behind the film.
And it does sound like Dunkirk will be an interesting take on Operation Dynamo. Director Christopher Nolan has described it as more of a survival story than a war film. It will tell the story from three perspectives – land, sea and air.
With a script just 112 pages long, this is not a verbose film. Nolan has explained that he wanted to focus more on the situation that his characters find themselves in than the characters themselves. Rather than spending time explaining their backstory, the film will concentrate on whether they will escape their fate.
So it’s unsurprising that this is not a long film – the running time is less than 2 hours. But with the acting talent involved (Mark Rylance, Kenneth Brannagh, Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy are just a few of the big names), it’s certain to be gripping.
And, although there are big names involved in the project, most of the young soldiers are portrayed by young, unknown actors, to reflect that, in real-life, many of the soldiers stranded on the beach were young and inexperienced.
As well as this, all of the cast are British and Irish. And much of the film was shot on location in Dunkirk itself, on the same beaches from which the Allied soldiers were evacuated. All this is designed to draw the audience into the moment and live it with the characters.
So, although your students may be attracted to the film by a popstar, they’re certain to leave the cinema with a much better understanding of a pivotal moment in British history.
Inspire your students with a FREE poster!And while their attention is piqued, why not use our timeline poster to help them delve deeper into the Miracle of Dunkirk?
Plus, of course, you can take them to see Dunkirk for themselves on a school history trip! For further details, please don’t hesitate to contact us.