Jamie Dornan (Belfast, The Tourist, Fifty Shades of Grey, The Fall) has boarded director Kathryn Ferguson’s (Nothing Compares) IFTA-winning, BAFTA-nominated and Oscar-qualified short film Nostalgie as executive producer, throwing his support and star power behind the Northern Irish production as it heads into awards season, including a possible spot in the best live action short film Oscars race.
The darkly comic drama, which examines artistic ownership and the unpredictable relationship between musicians and their audiences, stars Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones, The Wire, Kin) and features original songs and a score by BRIT Award-winning Bastille frontman Dan Smith, with cinematography by two-time Oscar nominee Robbie Ryan (Poor Things, The Favourite).
For the Belfast-born Dornan, joining the project represents an opportunity to champion filmmaking talent from his home city. “I’m always keeping my eyes and ears open for exciting productions being filmed back home,” he said. “So, when the opportunity arose to join Nostalgie as an executive producer, working alongside a largely Belfast-born team, it was an absolute no-brainer.”
And he lauded the director: “Kathryn has captured the raw, visceral tribalism that exists within the complex social and political landscape of Northern Ireland, while telling a story that feels deeply human, relatable and universal,” Dornan said. “Achieving that balance is no small feat, and it is a testament to her remarkable talent and vision as a storyteller.”
Adapted from a short story by Belfast author Wendy Erskine, Nostalgie follows Drew Lord Haig (Gillen), a washed-up 1980s pop star who is unexpectedly invited to perform at a centenary celebration in Belfast. “Hoping to relive his glory days, he discovers that one of his forgotten songs has become an unlikely anthem, taking on a meaning he could never have imagined,” notes a synopsis. “The film explores a dilemma familiar to musicians everywhere: What happens when a song takes on a life of its own, and its creator loses control over what it comes to represent?”
Written by Stacey Gregg (Bad Sisters, Mary & George), the film also stars Michael Smiley (Bad Sisters), Jessica Reynolds (Kneecap), Seamus O’Hara (An Irish Goodbye, House of Guinness) and Sean Kearns (The Boxer).
Nostalgie won the best short film (live action) honor at the Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTA). The film is produced by Kath Mattock, Marie-Thérèse Mackle and Marc Robinson, with Globe Originals presenting in association with Hopefield and Film4. Stille Productions and Tara Films are the production companies.
For Ferguson, Nostalgie is her first narrative drama short, following her debut feature documentary Nothing Compares about Sinéad O’Connor and her second feature, Bogart: Life Comes in Flashes. She is now in production on Matrescence, recently backed by the Sundance Institute.
