Katharina Kubrick, the step-daughter of the legendary film producer Stanley Kubrick, took part in the recent celebrations for the 50th anniversary of his film 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Isle of Man Film Festival.

Katharina appeared at the Broadway cinema on Friday night, where she took part in a special evening dedicated to the iconic film, which featured a 4k screening, and also the unveiling of a set of stamps, produced by the Isle of Man Post Office, featuring images of the director on the set.

She said that 2001: A Space Odyssey is a film that continues to have a lasting impact on the film industry.

’2001 is now half a century old, and I think that it has inspired and continues to inspire film makers,’ said Katharina.

’When it came out in 1968, nobody had ever seen anything quite like it. He had really broken all the rules, and he really did do it his way.

’That opened the flood gates for all the directors who came after, like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. They saw it as that Stanley had re-invented the medium almost, and done things that have given us the freedom to make films in the way that we want to do.

’It was a hand-made film, and it was glue, and Airfix kits, paint and string, and hard work, almost like a massive art school project,’ she said.

’But one undertaken with the best knowledge and guesstimates of the top scientists and space experts from NASA at the time.

’When it came out, the audience who came to the premier in the cinema in new York consisted largely of film executives and their wives, and film people who didn’t really know what they were going to see.

’They were perhaps expecting to see a generic sci-fi film with pointy rocket ships and silver suits and bug-eyed monsters.

’ But, as film makers, they were imagining where we would be in 2001. They hadn’t thought of micro chips, which hadn’t been discovered yet.

’The whole miniaturisation of technology hadn’t happened yet, and you just have to look at the size of HAL. He was enormous. HAL would probably fit into your smartphone today.’

Katharina eventually ended up working with Stanley as a locations researchers on some of his later films, such as Barry Lyndon, the Shining and Full Metal Jacket, before forging her own career as a draughtsman in the arts and props side of film making.

She was responsible for making the infamous metal teeth, sported by the James Bond baddie Jaws.

Katharina said she was impressed both with the film festival and, using her skills gained as a locations scout, was full of praise for what the island had to offer to today’s film makers.

’This is my first trip to the Isle of Man, which is amazing. We have loved it. We have been incredibly well looked after and spoilt rotten, and been taken on tours, and seen the Laxey Wheel, the old mines, the space observatory, the Gaiety Theatre inside out and back to front.

’And we have also seen lots of really high quality short films which was incredible for their quality and their very standard.

’The Isle of Man is perfect for film making, especially if you were doing a period piece. The island would be ideal for that, locations wise.

’Getting a crew over here on the boat wouldn’t be too difficult, and now that you have this wonderful film festival, which I think is a fabulous idea, that will hopefully generate more finance and more backing for people to make movies here.

’It is a fantastic place. What is not love about it?’