The war epic Dunkirk focuses on the survival of British and French troops on the French beach in 1940. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Thomas says: "Although the movie is very action-driven and being produced on a big scale, it's also a story about individual characters."

Nolan says he uses suspense to appeal to Europeans familiar with the Dunkirk story.

"It's a bit like when you see James Cameron's Titanic. You know the ship is going to sink, but you really don't want it to happen. I think you can bring the audiences there and pull them into the story with suspense and tension," Nolan says.

The director, who launched his filmmaking career with documentaries, also pursued reality as much as possible.

With a budget of $100 million, the crew shot most of the scenes in Dunkirk. They recruited over 1,000 extras, and used some planes and boats involved in the 1940 evacuation. After reading firsthand accounts, Nolan talked to veterans and incorporated some of their stories into the movie.

Most of the main characters are played by young actors, such as Fionn Whitehead and Tom Glynn-Carney.

Nolan says he didn't want "to commit the usual mistakes" in Hollywood films, where very young soldiers' roles are played by much older people.

Some Chinese fans have already watched the movie. It has scored 8.3 points of 10 on the popular Chinese review website Douban.