Media, memory, and the texture of nostalgia: analog aesthetics in Charlotte Wells’ aftersun

Abstract

This dissertation examines the use of analog aesthetics in Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun to explore memory, nostalgia, and emotional mediation in contemporary cinema. Focusing on the film’s camcorder footage, it analyzes how analog textures, such as grain, flicker, and shakiness, express fragmented, intimate memories while reflecting a wider cultural resurgence of analog media in the digital era. Drawing on film theory as well as media and cultural studies, the research shows how Aftersun uses these imperfections to evoke emotional authenticity and contrast with digital clarity. The film’s formal choices position analog aesthetics as a powerful tool for shaping personal and collective memory, emphasizing nostalgia’s tactile and affective qualities. Ultimately, I argue that Aftersun not only portrays memory but also actively shapes the viewer’s emotional engagement, highlighting the ongoing cultural significance of analog nostalgia in a digital age.