The Academy Finally Recognized Christopher Nolan’s Brilliance

Time and time again, Christopher Nolan has shown us the masterclass of his artistry. Unbelievably, Nolan was only nominated for Best Director once before Oppenheimer, for his 2017 war epic Dunkirk. Now, he is an Oscar winner and it’s about damn time.

Nolan is easily my favorite director. He is someone who has changed the way we see cinema and the fact that he kept being overlooked made no sense. Oppenheimer changed that and made it impossible for his work to be ignored. The film won seven Academy awards, taking home Best Supporting Actor, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Film Editing, Best Director, and Best Picture. But it was Nolan’s win that made me scream “Finally!”

Since Batman Begins, I have been wondering where his recognition was. So to see him win for Oppenheimer was well deserved and long overdue. And as Oppenheimer swept awards season, it felt like everything was leading to this win.

Nolan has not only elevated his own work with each new film, but he has also elevated his fellow filmmakers. As his wife and producer Emma Thomas said during her Best Picture speech, “I have been dreaming of this moment for so long.” I hope that this is just the beginning of the Academy acknowledging Nolan’s work, and look forward to where his storied career goes next. For now, his brilliant work in Oppenheimer will forever be remembered.

(featured image: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)