Celebrating Sandip Soparrkar National Achievment Award

 Neetu Chandra and Rohit Verma at a Christmas Party held for celebrating Sandip Soparrkar National Achievment Award
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> > The United Sports Bar and Grill celebrated the National Achievement Award honour bestowed upon internationally renowned dancer choreographer Sandip Soparrkar in a unique Christmas style with bollywood actress Neetu Chandra as a special guest.
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> > This is the first time in 22 years of the award that a western dancer has been given this honour. Very emotional about the same Sandip said, "This award is not for me, but for all my students who believed in my art. This award has brought in responsibility and I shall make sure I keep the purity of international dances alive all the time."
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> > Sandip's friends and students from film and television world poured in to congratulate him on this special day. Designer Rohit Verma was seen hugging Sandip. Others present were Amit Dolawat, Jassi Kaur, Nakul Vaid, Amy Billimoria, Dev Balani, Prachi shah, Shraddha nigam, Mayank Anand, Nisha Jamvwal, Ruby Tandon and many more.
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> > Anil Laroia, AVP - TUSBG who hosted the fun filled party for Sandip said "it’s an honor for us to felicitate and celebrate Sandip’s achievement in The United Sports Bar and Grill. The dance performance by Sandip’s troupe every week for our Mexican Festival was truly appreciated and loved by all our guests."
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> > The party started with a interactive dance session by Maestro Sandip Soparrkar himself followed by performance of his students, then santa claus danced and gifted chocolates and candies to one and all. The highlight of the evening was when Sushant Divgikar from the Big Boss fame who was the host for the evening made Sandip shake a leg with his super model wife Jesse Randhawa and bollywood actress Neetu Chandra. Jesse and Neetu both looked gorgeous in a white gowns and danced with grace and elegance matching steps with the master of dance.
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> > Everyone was delighted with the Christmas gifts they received from Santa, while Sandip along with his parents, Jesse Randhawa, his friends and dancers enthusiastically cut the traditional cake. Christmas is all about smiles, friends, family and togetherness, there couldn't have been a better way to celebrate this special honour.
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Shantanu and Sheershak, praised for Bipasha starrer Alone's screenplay.

Shantanu and Sheershak, writer and director of Guddu ki Gun, have also done screenplay of Bipasha Basu starrer Alone.

After watching the trailer the duo have been praised a lot on social networking sites for their screenplay of Alone.

Shantanu and Sheershak, are ecstatic and overwhelmed with the response, Shantanu says, "We are glad that everybody is loving our work. To keep audience engaging with a horror genre is difficult, yet we have managed to do it well. After watching the trailer, response we are receiving is overwhelming."

When asked about their future projects, Sheershak adds, "Our next film is Guddu ki Gun, starring Kunal Khemu, we have completed the film shoot. We will announce the film soon."

NDTV & Dettol's Banega Swachh India Cleanathon

CII- IMRB jointly unveils ‘Bengal Bioscope: A Big Picture Outlook for Sustainable Growth’

                             

Report to be launched at CII Big Picture Summit – Vision Bengal, 2014

Mumbai and Kolkata, 15th Dec, 2014: CII has partnered with IMRB International conducting a study on Bengali film industry that focuses on understanding the emerging business models, importance of internet and innovative viewer engagement methods that are vital for the growth of the industry.

As a part of this project IMRB conducted a first of its kind consumer survey across eight districts in urban West Bengal to learn the changing nature of film viewership and the general perception of Bengali films among its target audience. In addition to the consumer survey, a series of interviews were conducted to understand the trade insights of the film industry through in depth interactions with producers, actors, directors, distributors, exhibitors and broadcasters of Bengali cinema.

The report titled ‘Bengal Bioscope: A Big Picture Outlook for Sustainable Growth’ will be launched at CII’s upcoming event CII Big Picture Summit – Vision Bengal, 2014 on 12^th and 13^th December in Kolkata. The two day event will witness eminent personalities from the Regional cinema and industry alike deliberating on the ways to realize the potential of the Bengali Media & Entertainment industry by touching upon key themes like Vision 2020: The Roadmap for Bengal, New era in Media- Innovation as the key driver, Conducive Policy Regime - enabler and facilitator for unlocking value to the Industry, Removing the Investment Conundrum in Bengal, Good Content makes for Good Revenue – moving from the Stereotype, and Overcoming barriers for Television in Bengal.

Commenting on the report, Hemant Mehta, SVP, Media & Retail, IMRB International, said, “We are delighted to partner CII in assessing the current status of the Bengali film industry and in formulating the strategies for taking Bengali film industry to newer heights. The study encompasses the key constituents of the industry - producers, creative artists, distributors- as well the opinions of consumers who decide the fate of the creative products. With the increasing investment in infrastructure and production as well as growing consumer interest in regional cinema, we see a very bright future for Bengali film industry which has always been a flag bearer of creative excellence”.

Commenting on the initiative, Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, said “CII’s vision is to take the Indian Media and Entertainment sector towards achieving 100 billion USD by 2020. CII expects that this growth will also come from regional Media & Entertainment markets across India. Regional is the new national and it fits well for the Media & Entertainment sector. Our focus on Bengal Bioscope as part of the CII Big Picture Summit is a step in this direction. Bengali Cinema has an enviable past and it continues to be one of the most vibrant regional film industries in the country. We at CII thank the key industry stakeholders for sharing their valuable views and supporting us in generating these insights. We are sure that the findings from our study will provide the guideline and a much needed fillip to the industry, taking it on a more sustainable growth trajectory”.

Key Findings:

·         Majority of Bengali film viewers in Kolkata have not been in theatres in last one year to watch a Bengali film despite proliferation of multiplexes.

·         In the districts around two thirds have visited the halls to catch a Bengali film but the frequency of visits are quite low, not even three films in a year.

·         Around 30% of Bengali cinema viewers do not contemplate watching a Bengali film in a hall in near future and an additional 10% have stopped watching Bengali films on big screens in the last one year

·         This is further corroborated by IMRB’s primary survey of 35 single screen theatres across Kolkata and West Bengal revealing 30% occupancy on weekends and around 20% on weekdays

·         The tastes and preference of viewers in Kolkata and rest of Bengal are quite different which is echoed by only handful of releases successfully straddling both geographies

·         Original engaging content, a larger pool of good actors/ directors and better in hall experience can drive Bengalis back to cinema halls.

The study reveals that Bengali cinema today releases around a 100 odd films every year which is almost three times higher than comparable figures in 2005 and the total investment pumped into the industry is pegged at 150 – 180 crores INR. The report also draws parallel with Marathi Film industry, which is perceived as the closest kin to Bengali industry interms of content, distribution and production values.

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About IMRB International

Established in 1971, IMRB International, a member of the Kantar Group, is a pioneer in market research services in Asia. IMRB's footprint extends across 53 offices in 18 countries spanning South Asia, Middle East, North Africa, South East Asia and Europe. With a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural workforce of over 1400 full time researchers and analysts servicing clients, IMRB is at the forefront of research and consulting services. IMRB partner its clients through the entire brand lifecycle by bringing together consumer research experts (IMRB One) with sector and domain expertise from its specialist units like Probe Qualitative Research (PQR), Customer Satisfaction Measurement & Management (CSMM), IMRB Kantar World Panel, Media, Retail, Digital, Social & Rural Research Institute (SRI) and B2B Research and Technology Consulting (BIRD). LIVELABS helps clients to innovate and develop new products and services. An eight time winner of the MR Agency of The Year, IMRB is also accredited with the ISO 20252: 2012 Quality Certification.

About CII

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the development of India, partnering industry, Government, and civil society, through advisory and consultative processes. CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led and industry-managed organization, playing a proactive role in India's development process. Founded in 1895, India's premier business association has over 7200 members, from the private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 100,000 enterprises from around 242 national and regional sectoral industry bodies.With 64 offices, including 9 Centres of Excellence, in India, and 7 overseas offices in Australia, China, Egypt, France, Singapore, UK, and USA, as well as institutional partnerships with 312 counterpart organizations in 106 countries, CII serves as a reference point for Indian industry and the international business community.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies review by ANIZ FILMVALA

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 

review by

ANIZ FILMVALA

*****

The epic fantasy adventure film ‘The Hobbit’ directed by Peter Jackson concludes with mammoth visual spectacle and intense drama. More than ninety minutes of warfare shot on enormous scale to create realistic visuals of battle between the Five Armies.

The film begins with where it ended in ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ dragon Smaug [Benedict Cumberbatch] is on a rampage mouthing fire on the people of Lake Town in the mayhem the dragon is killed by Bard the Bowman [Luke Evans].

King Thorin [Richard Armitage] and his gang of Dwarves are trapped within the limit of Smaug's castle as Thorin alleges to posse the massive gold which was shielded by dragon Smaug, also other great armed forces want to claim their right on the castle in consequence are heading for a war to prevail.

Gandalf the Grey [Ian McKellen] is out from the prison as he battles with numerous wraiths at Dol Goldur and he is saved by Galadriel [Cate Blanchett].

Bilbo Baggins [Martin Freeman] sneaks out of Erebor to hand the Arkenstone over to Thranduil [Lee Pace] and Bard to avoid further atrocities but does not succeed.

Legolas [Orlando Bloom] and Tauriel [Evangeline Lilly] see Bolg [John Tui] with a huge Orc army and hundreds of war-bred bats planning to attack the Dwarves and the army of Erebor.As the war begins the army of Erebor and Dwarves are slaughtered by the Orc’s leaving them Vulnerable to the last attack which Azog instructs from the Ravenhill mountain.
Thorin eventually overcomes his madness and heads towards the mountain with Dwalin [Graham McTavish], Fili [Dean O'Gorman], and Kili [Aidan Turner] to kill Azog [Manu Bennett] and his group.

Legolas and Tauriel join the battle to protect Thorin from the Orc’s , in anarchy Tauriel is killed while saving Fili [Dean O'Gorman] her love interest and she departs with a emotional roller-coaster leaving Fili distraught.The film concludes with Bilbo returning to Bag End.

Director Peter Jackson leaves no stone unturned in any department of the movie making as the result are apt and noteworthy. A huge cast and illustrious characterization from the first part has kept the continuity intact and flawless. ’The Hobbit’ fans who have followed the earlier installment have a mighty dividend in store so not to be missed at any cost.

Cast
Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins
Ian Holm as old Bilbo Baggins
Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey
Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield II
Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug
Orlando Bloom as Legolas Greenleaf
Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel
Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman
Lee Pace as Thranduil
Graham McTavish as Dwalin
Ken Stott as Balin
Aidan Turner as Kíli
Dean O'Gorman as Fíli
Mark Hadlow as Dori
Jed Brophy as Nori
Adam Brown as Ori
John Callen as Óin
Peter Hambleton as Glóin
William Kircher as Bifur
James Nesbitt as Bofur
Stephen Hunter as Bombur
Cate Blanchett as Galadriel
Hugo Weaving as Elrond
Christopher Lee as Saruman the White
Sylvester McCoy as Radagast the Brown
Manu Bennett as Azog the Defiler
John Tui as Bolg
Billy Connolly as Dáin
Mikael Persbrandt as Beorn
Stephen Fry as the Master of Laketown
Ryan Gage as Alfrid
John Bell as Bain
Simon London as Feren   

Bollywood superstar and International Pop Star Priyanka Chopra named Brand Ambassador for Hoppits

Rajhans Nutriments launches first of its kind premium chocolate bars Hoppits

Mumbai, December 12, 2014: RajhansNutriments, a division of Rajhans (Desai- Jain) Group, has launched for the very first time, Hoppits, a premium chocolate bar with unique combinations that are currently not available in this category. Bollywood’s leading lady and International Pop Icon Priyanka Chopra has been named the Brand Ambassador for Hoppits.

Launched under the Schmitten umbrella, these chocolates are available in 4 exciting variants including Rich Caramel with Golden Nougat, Roast Almond with White Nougat, Dark Chocolate with Granola and Nuts, Dark Chocolate with Granola and Fruits. Hoppits is priced between INR 25 and INR 40 for 25g & 40g bars respectively.

Speaking at the launch of Hoppits, Mr. Jayesh Desai, Chairman, Rajhans Group said, “With the unveiling of Hoppits, we want to create a niche segment for Granola Dark Chocolate bars that appeal to the evolved connoisseur of chocolate. We launched Schmitten; premium chocolate made from Swiss technologies & equipment’s from UK and Europe a few months ago with seven exciting variants and received excellent response from the Trade/Consumers.

Mr. Desai further added, “Riding on the success of Schmitten, we arenow introducingHoppits We have also signed on Bollywood heartthrob, Priyanka Chopra as our brand ambassador to convey our message of ‘Here’s to good taste’ out to everyone.”

Launching the Hoppits brand, Priyanka Chopra, said, “One bite into a delectable bar of Hoppits Chocolate and you know you’ve made the right choice and that’s exactly what happened with me! I’m so pleased to be here to launch the Hoppits brand in India and also to be able to share this sinful indulgence with everyone. It’s a symbol of good taste rolled into a delicious bar of chocolate!”

With a strong backing from its parent, Rajhans(Desai- Jain) Group, it has been ensured that the best quality standard has been utilized for the manufacturing of Schmitten and Hoppits.

The manufacturing site in Surat is of world class standards, with only the best European equipment manufacturer being chosen in each area. The factory provides an experience of a technologically advanced set up and all this has been done to bring to India, the true taste of an international chocolate.

Rajhans Nutriments Pvt. Ltd. launched a new brand of chocolate targeted specifically at India’s youth and young adults. A brand name – ‘Schmitten’ and its concept has been developed to reflect this and appeals to this segment.

Rajhans Nutriments has come up with the 3rd largest chocolate project in India which ranks no. 1 in terms of technology. The company has launched a premium quality chocolate and are geared up to build a brand that will spell class. Rajhans Nutriments has established its Chocolate Manufacturing Unit in the area of 1.75 lakhs sq. ft. in Gujarat, Surat – Ahmedabad National Highway-8.

About Rajhans Group:

The Rajhans (Desai – Jain) Group is a young, dynamic company which in a short span of over a decade has business interests spanning Real Estate, Confectionary, Entertainment, Hospitality and Textiles. The group is considered to be extremely well established and trusted.

Here is an emerging Indian conglomerate with directly and indirectly 9000+ employees from Surat and other branches which include Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai. It’s a sterling example of the next generation of home grown entrepreneurs that is the front runner in the emerging billion dollar corporations of the new millennium. 

Jessabelle review by ANIZ FILMVALA

Jessabelle

review by

ANIZ FILMVALA

*****

Creepy and sluggish ‘Jessabelle’ is a new age Horror film with high degree of shock and shiver’s but a weak story which dwindles as the movie advances towards climax.

A conventional premise Jessie [Sarah Snook] goes through a tragic phase of life losing her unborn child and fiancé in a road accident living herself on a wheel chair forever, therefore she abandons herself in a countryside home where she had lived in her childhood but something is in store for her, a horrifying past unearths when she starts watching the tapes which her mother had left behind. Preston [Marc Webber] a high school mate is the only support for Jessie to guard her against the nightmares which she has been going through.

Directed by Kevin Greutert ‘Jessabelle’ is not a extraordinary work of chills as there are occasion which will leave you exasperated as lot have been seen and heard especially the loud sound and grotesque make up effects to leave you shocked are very conventional method for Horror genre.

Cast
Sarah Snook as Jessie Laurent
Mark Webber as Preston
David Andrews as Leon
Joelle Carter as Kate
Ana de la Reguera as Rosaura
Amber Stevens as Jessabelle
Larisa Oleynik as Samantha
Chris Ellis as Sheriff Pruitt
Brian Hallisay as Mark

Sony DADC releases ‘GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY’ on Home video

Watch this epic space adventure film with unusual saviours

Mumbai, December 2014: From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team-the Guardians of the Galaxy.

‘Home Entertainment Services by Sony DADC’ releases an action-packed, epic space adventure film ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray & DVD. This superhero film is based onMarvel Comics’ super hero team of the same name that first appeared in 1969.

Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits-Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand-with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.

The ensemble cast of the movie includes Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Glenn Close and others. The film is directed by James Gunn.

Enjoy this blockbuster movie on a Blu-ray or DVD that comes with interesting special bonus content. The Blu-ray & DVD of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ contains the following features.

Bonus Features on DVD:

·         Exclusive look at Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron – Bursting with action, and including the newest members of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch – Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron is truly a battle for the ages!

·         Deleted Scenes

Bonus Features on Blu-ray:

·         Guide To The Galaxy With James Gunn

·         The Intergalactic Visual Effects for Guardians of The Galaxy – Learn how Rocket and Groot went from blue screen to big screen

·         Exclusive Look at Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron

·         Gag Reel – Experience cosmic shenanigans and celestial goofs in this hilarious gag reel

·         Deleted Scenes with Commentary By James Gunn, Rocket And Groot

·         Audio Commentary with James Gunn

MRP

·          3D Blu-ray –Rs. 1499/-(2-Disc – 3D & 2D Version)

·          Blu-ray – Rs. 1299 /-

·          DVD – Rs. 599 /-

So add ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ to your collection of super hero films on Blu-ray or DVD now!

About 'Home Entertainment Services by Sony DADC':

'Home Entertainment Services by Sony DADC' is a division of Sony DADC Manufacturing India Pvt. Ltd. (A 100 % subsidiary of SONY Corporation). Sony DADC has blazed the highest of quality manufacturing standards on all recorded formats including Compact Discs, DVDs, Blu-ray& 3D Blu-ray discs and is the preferred Global partner to all major International Studios. 'Home Entertainment Services by Sony DADC' represents the forward integration foray of Sony DADC Manufacturing into the Direct Licensing, Distribution & Marketing of Home Entertainment content in India. The venture is the leader in the retailing of home entertainment products in the country and brings an innovative & path breaking approach to the marketing & distribution of the same. ‘Home Entertainment Services by Sony DADC’ has  the Home Video license for major Hollywood studios like Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE), Warner Home Video (WHV), Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE) and National Geographic in India. Sony DADC also has the license for Sony Music & Saregama content in the Music Vertical for exploitation across all physical formats.        

Arjan Bajwa hosts the opening ceremony 5th Annual Kabaddi World Cup

The dashing Arjan Bajwa hosted the recently held Opening Ceremony of the 5th Annual Kabaddi World Cup in Jalandhar, Punjab.

Sonakshi Sinha and Arjun Kapoor graced the ceremony with their quick banter and witty jokes alongside host, Arjan Bajwa. Arjan who is himself a Punjab munda hailing from a Jatt family, was the perfect choice to host this event as the sport hails from the state of Punjab and was infact also held in Jalandhar. He was truly entertaining in all senses and we couldn't help but notice his fit and toned new physique he sported during his performance!  

THE WALK

Release: October 2015
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon



THE WALK: Robert Zemeckis’ High Wire Act
Montreal Set Visit
By Steven Goldman
(Teaser)

On a vast Montreal sound stage, director Robert Zemeckis is hard at work recreating a lost place and time. Here his leading man, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, stands on the ledge of a gigantic rooftop set built of steel and concrete, gazing out to a similar precipice over a football field away amidst a sea of green-screen. Yet his character, notably, doesn’t have the special powers found in your typical multiplex superhero. Instead, he’s equipped with a dream and the belief that anything is possible - as he sets off to walk a high-wire stretched between two of the tallest buildings on the face of the earth.

Zemeckis’ chosen moment in history is the morning of August 7, 1974,     when a lone French aerialist, Philippe Petit, captured the world’s     imagination with a seemingly impossible high-wire walk between the     Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center. Some forty-years  later,    utilizing the latest in state of the art visual effects, 3D  and IMAX    technology (and massive set construction), Zemeckis and   Gordon-Levitt,   with the aid of a small army of technicians and   craftsmen, are   recreating that moment as The Walk enters its final   week of   production. They too are accomplishing the seemingly   impossible:   bringing the lost towers back to glorious life.

Only in film is such a feat possible now.

On set, Gordon-Levitt (Inception) talks of his part in the enterprise     and how he can relate to the undertaking.  “There’s a lot that’s     similar about it,” he says, comparing wire-walking to acting. “When     you’re acting in a movie there’s all this chaos going on around you…     You have to just compartmentalize and not think about it. It’s the     same on the wire. I’ve learned a little bit about how to walk on a     wire and it’s the same. If you start thinking, ‘I’m up high,’ or ‘I     could lose my balance,’ you’re done for.”

Seen by Zemeckis as both a mad cap caper film and a love letter to the     Towers, The Walk has had a long journey to the screen. First    conceived  in 2007, it will reach the multiplex and IMAX alike in    October, 2015.  “One of the biggest struggles I had getting this film    made was that  it’s very difficult to make any feature film [today]    that’s not  derivative,” explains the Oscar-winning director.    “Anything that tries  to be unique and original is the hardest type of    film to make. And  then to say it’s about a wire-walker and I want   to  make it in 3D.   That’s almost an impossible feat.”

Zemeckis credits Tom Rothman, head of the newly revitalized TriStar,     for making The Walk possible. “Tom and I made Cast Away when he was     the head of 20th Century Fox, so we know each other from way back,”     says Zemeckis. “That was a very risky movie that we made together.  He    was a big fan of this story and had the courage to greenlight  this    movie.”

“Bob Zemeckis is a true master filmmaker,” says Rothman, who helped     Fox become the most profitable film studio in Hollywood under his     18-year-tenure. “He has a rare ability to blend the epic with the     intimate,” he explains. “It’s one thing to put audiences in a     wire-walker’s shoes with jaw dropping visuals. It’s another to make     them care emotionally. Bob is one of the few directors who can do both     and who can use 3D in a way that makes a film a must see on the  big    screen.”

An expert at using new technology in the service of story and     character, Robert Zemeckis first captured the spotlight in 1985 with     Back to the Future. His films include: Romancing the Stone, Forrest     Gump (for which he won the directing Oscar in 1995), Cast Away, Who     Framed Roger Rabbit, Contact, A Christmas Carol, and most  recently,    the critically acclaimed Flight, starring Denzel  Washington.

“To quote Francois Truffaut, ‘A really great movie is the perfect     blend of truth and spectacle,’ and I think that’s what we go to the     movies for,” says Zemeckis of his approach. “We go to see a story that     is rooted in human truth and the human journey. But we also go to    see  a spectacle.”

The Walk (whose supporting cast includes Sir Ben Kingsley and The     Hundred-Foot Journey’s Charlotte Le Bon) promises to put audiences in     the thick of the action, as close as any of us will ever come to     walking amongst the clouds ourselves. Zemeckis explains with a laugh:     “If you’ve got a fear of heights, you might not be comfortable     watching a lot of this, but that was another thing I loved about it.”

But the film is also an exploration of what led up to the famous walk,     including Petit’s earliest childhood obsessions, his romantic     entanglements, and the volatile relationship with his surrogate father     figure, Kingsley’s Papa Rudi.

“Walking on a wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center is     beautiful and physically daring, but there’s also a metaphor   there,’   says Gordon-Levitt of The Walk. “It’s about believing in   yourself   enough to say ‘I [can] accomplish anything… I [can] be the   person I   want to be.’”

As for the Towers themselves and the tragedy of 9-11, both     Gordon-Levitt and Zemeckis see The Walk as a tribute, which, given the     opening of The Freedom Tower, comes at a particularly appropriate     moment.

“I think it’s important to remember that tragedy doesn’t erase what     was beautiful,” says Gordon-Levitt.   “I think it’s also important to     remember this beautiful moment… that does greater honor, to not let     those towers just become a symbol of disaster, but to also  remember    them in this moment of beauty.”

“The movie is a love letter to the Twin Towers,” says Zemeckis.     “They’re very much present in the film as characters. So it’s also a     celebration. In the tragic history of those buildings, this is one     glorious and human moment that happened. I think that’s something     that’s important to remember too.”