The Great Wall of China, built over 2,000 years ago, is still one of the most impressive engineering masterpieces on Earth today. (Image Courtesy: MacGillivray Freeman Films)
Throughout human history, engineers have been working behind the scenes to create structures, gadgets, and gizmos that have changed our world. From the Great Wall of China and the world's tallest buildings (we're looking at you, Burj Khalifa!) to solar cars and underwater robots, Dream Big: Engineering Our World celebrates these amazing innovations, big and small.
Speaking of BIG
The film, which opens this weekend at the Ontario Science Centre's OMNIMAX Theatre and other IMAX theatres across North America, is made to be seen on a giant screen. It transports you across the globe, from China and Nepal to England and the United States, showing you the places, people, and engineering projects in a way you've probably never seen before. Some of our favourite scenes were of skyscrapers and bridges being built around the world (although you may not feel quite the same if you're afraid of heights!).
Did we mention that most engineers are also really brave? (Image Courtesy: MacGillivray Freeman Films)
All about the people
Above all, Dream Big is about the engineers—the people—themselves. No matter how big or complicated an engineering project is, it often starts with the dream or idea of one person, or a team of people.
You get to meet some of them in this movie! Engineer Menzer Pehlivan wanted to be a big movie star when she was young, but when an earthquake devastated her home in Istanbul, Turkey, she decided as a teenager that she wanted to help make buildings that keep people safe. There's also Avery Bang, an engineer who turned down a high-paying job in North America to instead go build bridges in underdeveloped countries. And Steve Burrows, a structural engineer from England who is using cutting-edge technology to explore the past and build the future in cities such as San Francisco.
Making big changes
By meeting all of these engineers in this movie, you start to realize what engineering is really all about: ordinary people finding ways to change the world.
Sound awesome? We think so!
Check out the trailer below. And if you get a chance, go see this movie!
