Lost to film history until today, Shanta Rao Dutt 
was one of the world’s first filmmakers, Before youtube, before digital, before colour, there was only Dutt. Movieplex Travelling Miniature Cinema - 2008 Tour Dates

The Movieplex Miniature Cinema - “World Cinema In A Nutshell”

In summer 2008 the Movieplex Corporation in collaboration with Nutkhut launched its national tour of The Movieplex Miniature Cinema, introducing the people of the United Kingdom to the pioneering filmmaking of the company’s founder, Shanta Rao Dutt. For the first time in over 80 years members of the general public were able to see Shanta’s recently rediscovered and restored film ‘Docker and the Rose’, shot in Liverpool in 1920.

Visitors from all over the country flocked to the Movieplex exhibit, where they were invited to step inside the miniature museum and explore a curious collection of memorabilia from Shanta Rao Dutt’s filmmaking travels.  Leading Dutt experts Professor Leonard Plate and Miss Lucy Forster were on hand to explain all about the legendary movie pioneer and his colourful family history.

Guests listened in awe to the incredible story of how Shanta met Lassie the world’s most famous dog, and how the filmmaking pioneer influenced Spielberg, before being ushered into the plush interior of the miniature cinema. There visitors watched a lovingly restored nine-minute-movie from the family archives: Dutt’s silent film “Docker and the Rose” shot on the Liverpool docks in 1920.

Celebrity Movieplex Launch outside the National Theatre, London, UK

The red carpet was rolled out in front of the Movieplex Miniature Cinema on Thursday 14 August 2008 for the star-studded official launch event, when Movieplex was welcomed to the National Theatre’s Watch This Space outdoor events programme.  Los Angeles-based actress and animal rights activist Natasha Rao Dutt, great grandniece of Movieplex founder Shanta Rao Dutt, arrived in a Bentley to be received by cheering crowds and a line-up of waiting dignitaries. 

During the welcome speeches, Ajay Chhabra, creative director of Movieplex partner Nutkhut presented Natasha Rao with a commemorative glass swan ornament, in memory of Shanta’s wife Mary Dutt’s love of swans, and in honour of Natasha Rao’s own untiring charitable work for the Dutt Society for the Preservation of Swans, established by her great grand aunt.

Shanta Rao Dutt's great grand niece unveils blue plaque in Liverpool

On Thursday 31 July 2008, Natasha Rao Dutt, actress and animal rights activist, unveiled a blue plaque commemorating her great grand uncle at 19 Hope Street, Liverpool. The address is the site of the boarding house where Shanta Rao Dutt stayed during his stay in Liverpool in 1920, and where his future wife Mary Dutt, née Emmet, worked as a chamber maid. Actress Natasha Rao flew in from Los Angeles for the occasion, and arrived for the ceremony in a vintage car of the same model as that featured in her great grand uncle’s silent movie “Docker and the Rose”.

Partners & Friends of Movieplex:

www.nutkhut.net
www.liverpool08.com
www.artscouncil.org.uk
www.brouhaha.uk.com
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/wts
www.hatfair.co.uk
Friday 1 – Sunday 3 August
By The Sunshine Gates, Princes Park,
Liverpool - L8 2TA, as part of Brouhaha International’ssomething for the weekend
(view map)
Midday – 2pm & 3.15pm – 5.15pm
Thursday 7 – Sunday 10 August

St George's Square,

Liverpool - L1 1JJ
(view map)

11.30am – 1.30pm & 3.00pm – 5.00pm
Tuesday 12 – Saturday 16 August
Watch This Space
Theatre Square, National Theatre, South Bank, London - SE1 9PX
(view map)
1 – 3pm, 5.15 – 7.15pm & 8.30pm - 9.30pm
Thursday 21 - Saturday 24 August
As a part of Celebrate Sussex,
Crawley Memorial Park, Crawley Town Centre, West Sussex - RH10 1EH (view map)
Thursday & Friday
midday - 2pm & 4pm- 6pm
Saturday & Sunday
11am - 1pm & 3pm - 5pm
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