From Homer's epic to Nolan's odyssey

Christopher Nolan spent his 56th birthday far from Hollywood, standing inside a packed Beijing theater as hundreds of moviegoers surprised him with a Mandarin rendition of Happy Birthday.

The moment came during the Beijing premiere of The Odyssey on July 30. Visibly touched, the Oscar-winning director smiled quietly, rested his chin in his hand and softly mouthed, "Thank you."

Standing beside him were Matt Damon, who plays Odysseus, king of Ithaca; Charlize Theron, who portrays the immortal nymph Calypso; and Emma Thomas, Nolan's wife and the film's producer. They also learned to say "Happy Birthday" in Chinese, drawing laughter and applause from the audience.