Issues simply aren’t what they was once! Or are they? And is that good, unhealthy, or ugly? Nostalgie, a fiction quick directed by Kathryn Ferguson, the Belfast-based filmmaker recognized for the likes of Sinéad O’Connor documentary Nothing Compares, will increase questions like that in your thoughts. And extra!
“A Eighties popstar receives a stunning invitation to carry out, pulling him out of musical retirement and into an ethical dilemma,” reads a synopsis for the 19-minute quick that stars Aidan Gillen (Sport of Thrones, Peaky Blinders, Kin, Mayor of Kingstown, The Wire). Jessica Reynolds (Kneecap) and Michael Smiley (Unhealthy Sisters, Alien: Earth, The Lobster, Blue Lights) additionally characteristic within the movie.
Based mostly on a brief story by Wendy Erskine, Nostalgie was written by Stacey Gregg and produced by Stille Productions and Tara Movies Manufacturing, in affiliation with Globe Originals and Hopefield. Co-financed by Film4, the manager producers had been Lucy Pullin, Neil Chordia, Tim Clark, Amy O’Hara, Eleanor Emptage, and Ferguson. The producers had been Kath Mattock, Marie-Thérèse Mackle, and Marc Robinson, with modifying by Mick Mahon and Edel McDonnell. Robbie Ryan served because the director of images, with the songs and rating courtesy of none apart from Bastille’s Dan Smith.
One in all 4 shorts supported by Film4 on the 69th version of the BFI London Movie Pageant (LFF), it would world premiere on Friday, together with different shorts beneath the theme “Pulling the Rug Out.”
Ferguson mentioned Nostalgie, the load of historical past, and why, regardless of her fame for doc work, she is planning to make extra fiction options.
How did you come on board to direct this fictional story after making a reputation for your self in docs?
Effectively, I’m Irish, clearly, and I had simply made Nothing Compares, my characteristic documentary about Sinéad O’Connor. The producer in England reached out to me, saying: “Have you considered drama?” And I mentioned: “Effectively, I might like to do it.” However I’m a documentarian, and clearly that’s fairly a protracted shot. However she mentioned, “Have you considered drama? And have you ever learn the work of Wendy Erskine?” Wendy Erskine is an incredible Belfast born and bred author. I’m from Belfast. And I used to be principally despatched her manuscript of a guide of quick tales that she had written a few years in the past by the producer Kath Mattock.
So I spent a little bit of time studying by means of this guide, and all of her quick tales are unbelievable. They’re fashionable fables about Northern Eire at present, however it was Nostalgie that basically jumped out to me, as a result of it simply felt so deeply cinematic and related. And since I’d come off the again of creating a movie about an artist who typically has had their work co-opted. Sinéad was being tortured by Trump for a few years, with him utilizing her music [“Nothing Compares 2 U“]. So, Nostalgie simply actually spoke to me as a filmmaker. I assumed it’s a really fascinating tackle this concept of music slipping out of out of 1’s palms. Let’s attempt to deliver this to life!
Did you ever envision it as a characteristic movie?
Very a lot, it was a brief for me. It was a very great probability to have the ability to take such sturdy materials after which work by means of the method. We managed to usher in this unbelievable script author, Stacey Gregg, who’s additionally from Belfast, and it was the method of working by means of this quick with Stacey and Wendy. It simply felt like a very self-contained story.
It was fascinating simply to really be a part of that course of and growing it from web page to display, which took a little bit of time. And since it’s a movie about these songs, about this musician, and about his phrases, we then needed to write the songs as effectively. In order that turned an enormous a part of the inventive course of. And I labored with Dan Smith, who’s the lead singer of Bastille, and Wendy to actually give you the appropriate lyrics for this music.
Kathryn Ferguson
To keep away from spoilers, I’ll simply say I liked the music of the music, however then additionally received scared and horrified once I noticed what occurs with it…
Effectively, it actually wanted to be that. It wanted to be nearly like a theme tune.
[SPOILER WARNING: The next question and answer contain spoilers!]
The protagonist’s music, we discover out, is getting used as an anthem of kinds by some individuals who have a previous stuffed with violence. Is that based mostly on any real-life story?
The unique story relies on the fact of paramilitary teams in Northern Eire taking very well-known singers’ music and utilizing it on this manner. One instance is “Merely the Greatest: by Tina Turner, which is a theme music in Northern Eire for a paramilitary group and has been for many years. It was this concept of taking one thing with such a catchy hook, and the lyrics being misconstrued.
How early on do you know that Aidan Gillen would play your protagonist, and what did you search for within the casting course of?
We wanted an actor who may arise and sing. In order that turned an enormous a part of the casting course of. And we had been extraordinarily lucky to have the ability to get Aiden Gillen, an incredible piece of casting. He can sing, he’s Irish. He’s taking part in an Englishman, however understands the intricacies and complexities of this story. After which he was capable of arise and carry out to a room of wild-eyed males. It was sophisticated sufficient looking for the appropriate individual, however we had been thrilled with Aidan’s efficiency. He was unbelievable!
The remainder of the forged can also be superb…
Sure, we had this unbelievable Northern Irish forged come on board. Jessica Reynolds, who simply got here off the again of Kneecap, and Michael Smiley. I simply stood there considering: “How did this work out like this??” It was a rare expertise, really, truthfully. It was actually thrilling.
I’m curious: Do you intend to do extra work in fiction and drama or are you going to return to docs? What are you engaged on subsequent?
I’m simply ending a brand new characteristic documentary on the minute, which is able to hopefully be out in early 2026.
Are you able to share any particulars or do you’ve NDAs to stay to?
I can’t say a lot. But it surely’s a really pure step on from Nothing Compares.
Any fiction plans?
Sure, I’m beginning to write a script, beginning to get a therapy completed, principally, for a drama characteristic that I’ll ultimately wish to attempt to get off the bottom. Yeah, simply the expertise I had on this quick was so potent, and I actually, really discover it thrilling and thrilling. It’s positively whetted my urge for food to do much more.
For extra LFF 2025 shorts protection, try:
Sheep and Mob Mentality: ‘Flock’ Author-Director Mac Nixon Desires to Reframe Welsh Identification on Display
and
‘Magid / Zafar’ Author-Director Luís Hindman Units the Beat to Discover South Asian Masculinity
