Christopher Jonathan James Nolan (/ˈnoʊlən/; born 30 July 1970) is an English-American film director, screenwriter, and producer. His nine films have grossed over US$4.2 billion worldwide and garnered a total of 26 Oscar nominations and seven awards.Having made his directorial debut with Following (1998), Nolan gained considerable attention for his second feature, Memento (2000).