NOSTALGIA
The past is never truly gone. It's waiting to be remembered.
a film pitch deck
OVERVIEW
Logline
An emotionally numb history lecturer grappling with midlife regrets becomes entangled in a memory-retrieval experiment, confronting ghosts of his past—and a chance to rewrite his fate.
Target Audience
Nostalgia is not just a poignant story about one man’s journey to understand his past—it’s a story that resonates with anyone who has looked back at their life and wondered, "What if?"
Themes
The universal human experience of reconciling with the past while trying to find peace in the present. Its exploration of nostalgia as a source of solace and a trap creates a unique narrative.
Genre
Blending quirky humour, emotional drama and sci-fi magical realism, Nostalgia challenges audiences to reflect on their own pasts and question how much of life is defined by the memories we choose to keep—or forget.
THEMES
Memory & The Past
Paul grapples with his memories through vivid flashbacks and encounters with his family's history. The tension between between remembering and moving on is central to the story.
Identity & Self-Reflection
Paul faces existential questions about his purpose, his relationship with others and the choices that shaped him.
Loss & Grief
Paul's journey is marked by the death of his father and the emotional weight of unresolved relationships and unspoken words.
Technology & Ethics
The Locus, with its ability to access and manipulate memories, raises questions about the boundaries of science and its impact on human experience.
Treatment
A History lecturer stuck in the past, Paul Angest laments the end of his most meaningful relationship with ex-fiancée Meredith.
His siblings - Brydie, Elliot and Wayne - have grown up but their childhood identities remain: The Princess, The Baby and The Trouble. None of his siblings visit their mother, June, who resides in a care home for dementia patients.
When their Dad, Ivor, dies unexpectedly, Paul’s plan is to get in and out of the funeral with minimal fuss. Whilst there, an unknown associate of Ivor’s entrusts Paul with a flask containing samples of Ivor’s DNA.
Paul meets scientist Roger and his assistant, Kirk. They explain that Ivor was the test subject for The Locus: A machine created by Roger which enables the participant to revisit their memories via a DNA sample. As an invisible voyeur in his own memories, Ivor was dedicated to the experiment in hope of finding a cure for his wife, June, who resides in a care home for dementia patients.
Paul agrees to take over where his Dad left off, experiencing a greater understanding of who his parents were and who his siblings are. But he soon discovers the toll. He begins to experience emotional transference from his Dad’s memories, as well as ‘ghost Memories’ - hallucinations from the past - in his every day life. He also becomes addicted to re-living memories of his time with Meredith.
Paul discovers his Dad was secretly venturing into the memories of his offspring, and realises that the sensation of deja-vu is actually the presence of his Dad. Ivor leaves a secret message in his own memories for Paul to discover - that Roger’s Elon Musk-esque financier, Mywoods, is not to be trusted.
Paul’s siblings hold a family meeting to discuss why their deceased father was bankrupt. Only Paul knows that their Dad was co-financing the experiment, partly through desperation of helping his wife, partly because he had become addicted to The Locus.
Paul’s mental state deteriorates, experiencing a ‘Ghost of future yet-to-come’ moment in which a new drug called ‘Nostalgia’ rules the world-A future where Roger has been ripped off by Mywoods and Kirk is a campaigner against Mywoods and The Locus.
Paul visits a backstreet clinic where he jacks up on Nostalgia, which has potentially lethal consequences: complete emotional shutdown. Believing he can master Nostalgia and change the past, Paul uses Meredith’s DNA to convince her to take him back. Instead, Meredith’s memory fights back and shows Paul her side of the story: her experience of being in a relationship with Paul.
He gains an understanding that their break-up was his responsibility. It is then that Paul hears Kirk’s disembodied voice. She explains that he is trapped inside The Locus and that recent events have all been a construct by The Locus, designed to keep Paul a prisoner. The machine doesn’t want to let him go...
Main Characters
Paul Angest
Cynical and melancholic, Paul is a history lecturer struggling with unresolved family issues, grief and his identity. He is haunted by the past yet sceptical about his future.
Meredith Venner
Paul's ex-fiancee, Meredith is compassionate but pragmatic and strong-willed. Embodying love and loss, she maintains boundaries whilst dealing with the emotional fallout of her relationship with Paul.
Ivor Angest
Paul's recently deceased father, Ivor is a complex mix of stoic and sentimental. A man of few words but deep feelings. Driven by a love for his ailing wife and determined to fix his family.
Roger Brommage
Creator of The Locus (a memory retrieval experiment), Roger is driven, intense and abrasive. Deeply invested in his creation, he is mostly frustrated due to his need to prove himself.
Kirk Mellow
Roger's assistant, Kirk is empathetic and a somewhat naive idealist, balancing Roger's intensity and lack of people skills. A personable child of surfer-dude parents.
Brydie Angest
Paul's younger sister and a no-nonsense mother-hen. Her caring style is passive-aggressive, and presents herself as having the perfect family. She doesn't.
Wayne Angest
Paul's older brother, Wayne is a recovering alcoholic who runs a pub. Sardonic and emotionally detached, he masks pain with humour and a gruff demeanour.
Elliot Angest
Paul's younger brother. Fragile and overshadowed by his siblings. Attempts to act as mediator but is downtrodden. People-pleaser.
Casting Suggestions
Colin Farrell
Paul
Cristin Milioti
Meredith
Sam Neill
Ivor
Marc Maron
Roger
/
Ben Mendelsohn
Wayne
Melanie Lynskey
Brydie
Brie Larson
Kirk
Andrew Garfield
Elliott
TARGET AUDIENCE
The film’s themes and tone will resonate with audiences seeking emotional, reflective cinema with a touch of speculative intrigue.
People in their 20s & above
Themes of memory, family dynamics, and midlife reflection will resonate with those reflecting on their own pasts and grappling with questions of identity, purpose and family relationships.
Fans of Character-Driven Drama
The story's focus on personal struggles, emotional depth and complex relationships appeals to viewers who enjoy narrative-driven films prioritising character development over action.
Viewers Interested in Existential and Philosophical Themes
The story delves into memory, grief, and the ethics of technology, making it appealing to those who enjoy films that provoke introspection and raise moral questions.
Fans of Independent and Thought-Provoking Cinema
The introspective tone, emphasis on dialogue, and exploration of nostalgia will attract audience who appreciate arthouse or independent films rather than mainstream blockbusters.
Those Interested in Sci-Fi with a Human Focus
While Nostalgia incorporates elements of science fiction, the narrative centres on human emotions and relationships, appealing to viewers who enjoy ground, speculative storytelling.
Fans of Visually Unique Cinema
In the hands of a visionary director, Nostalgia has to potential to deliver quirky concepts and unusual, ground-breaking images never before seen.
COMPARABLES
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Budget: $20,000,000
W/Wide Box Office: $73,363,931
12 Monkeys
Budget: $29,000,000
W/Wide Box Office: $168,839,459
Her
Budget: $23,000,000
W/Wide Box Office: $48,269,269
Being John Malkovich
Budget: $13,000,000
W/Wide Box Office: $23,106,795
A Christmas Carol
Budget: $200,000,000 (est)
W/Wide Box Office: $325,286,646
WRITER
Andrew Wright is a screenwriter and author who has worked in various roles in the film and television industry, alongside Lord Richard Attenborough (Jurassic Park), Dominic West (The Wire), and Kathy Burke (Nil By Mouth). His first student film was co-funded by Terry Gilliam (12 Monkeys).
Praise for Nostalgia
"Great premise and well realized. A unique take on a character struggling with grief and regret. Interesting inverse of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. A machine that brings forth memories, vs a machine that erases them…
The intensity of the memories in the machine translated well onto the page... The memories bleeding over into the real world, like at the family meeting was very effective." Chris Szuca, Reader
The intensity of the memories in the machine translated well onto the page... The memories bleeding over into the real world, like at the family meeting was very effective." Chris Szuca, Reader
"You capture emotion so beautifully, and the writing is so elegant and poetic… It's definitely a story that is very thought-provoking." Jennifer Kuo, Reader
MUSIC PLAYLIST
A playlist which influenced the writing.
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CONTACT
NOSTALGIA
Those who are dead are not dead... They're just living in your head.