Dunkerque Port in the Oscars

Dunkerque-Port CEO Stéphane Raison, speaking for the entire staff of Grand Port Maritime de Dunkerque, is absolutely delighted with this list of 2018 Oscar winners and sends warmest congratulations to Christopher Nolan, the producers and the whole film crew. These awards also stress the high level of professionalism displayed by the staff of Dunkerque-Port who supported the director and his team at each stage of the shooting.

Indeed, from the very first post-scouting meetings with the producers and the directing team in 2015, to the last day of filming in June 2016, the staff of the Commercial Division, the Operations and Development Divisions, and the Harbour Master’s Office worked tirelessly to meet all the different technical needs. The Mole in the Eastern Port of Dunkirk, the historical site of the re-embarkation in May and June 1940, was completely rebuilt and restored to its original appearance. The spectacular result seen in the film “Dunkirk” required all the expertise of Dunkerque-Port’s technical staff. And to ensure it was really authentic, Christopher Nolan wanted to film real boats, and the arrival of a large fleet of historic vessels and their manœuvres at sea had to be managed with very great care, in the often complex environment of a port in operation day and night. But such an undertaking could never have been achieved without the outstanding way in which the port worked with the staff of the City of Dunkirk and the Urban Community, an exemplary collaboration which was often remarked upon by the clients and partners of the port.