The idea that the world is going to dissolve into dystopia is a harsh one that has been in abundance of recent films. There is going to be a war, a lack of fuel, an uprising or an over-reliance on technology and we are going to end up defunct in a future that we tore apart. Plus, with the elevation of technology, many have used it as a crutch to escape from their lives and stay locked inside a fantasy world where reality is a far distant memory, playing out their wildest dreams and enveloping them. It’s only natural that these tropes combine and create a marvellous futuristic depth with Giacomo Cimini’s The Nostalgist.
In an unknown future, the world of Vanille is not how it seems. A company have created glasses known as “Immsersyst Eyes and Ears,” with these the world could literally be your oyster, exactly how you planned and envisaged it. However, a father and son are thrown into turmoil when his father’s device disintegrates and he has to face the truth behind their isolated, idyllic life and he ventures to reclaim the fantasy and illusion he has been obsessed with.
Based on a short story by Daniel H.Wilson, the turbulent themes here are akin to that of The Congress and A.I – that the populace escapes tragedy in fantasy and ignores the desolation that is actually occurring around them. The Nostalgist handles it with much more humanity, installing that as the main vein of the film and allowing you to explore both worlds of the father and son. Questioning the norm and what exactly makes us more than a bundle of bags, bones and smog stained flesh, this deftly handled short film is engrossing. These futuristic ideals highlight the over-reliance of fantasies and clashes with the bleak and damaged reality, absorbing you in the entire story, and therefore enthralling the audience.
Handling the role of the Father is Of Gods and Men actor Lambert Wilson, who wonderfully and impassionedly handles the archaic invented life that he has lived and struggles to patch up the worried cracks that unfurl the imposing reality he now has to face to save his son. Wilson delicately weaves the emotive urgency of the Father (aka The Nostalgist,) and how dependent he is on this imagined life with his son. He is stunning, evocative and visceral. Opposite him, as the son, is the young Samuel Joslin who delights and is haunting in his innocence that is lost and regained throughout the film. Together, they have this vital relationship that is core of this film.
The Nostalgist has an exquisite look that develops both the Victorian-esque fantasy and the mechanically advanced life where reality is a choice is bursting with this complexity, both stirring and profound. With a strong acting centre and a vibrant aesthetic by Wonder Room Productions, The Nostalgist is a stirring short film.
