In 2011, Karl von Randow and Matt Buchanan, two tech-loving New Zealand film buffs, launched Letterboxd, a movie review and rating app inspired by Goodreads, the platform that does the same for books. For several years, they juggled this small project with their work at a web design studio. Then came the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2020, they hired their first full-time employee, and with the world confined to their homes, their user base exploded. In 2023, the company was acquired by the Canadian company Tiny and today boasts over 26 million user profiles. While this figure seems insignificant compared to companies like Instagram (with around three billion active users), it reflects the cultural power of film as a source of conversation. Those who love movies enjoy watching them as much as discussing and analyzing them in detail, and Letterboxd is aimed at that community — including famous filmmakers and performers.

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Be careful what you wish for, as the saying goes, although it is not entirely clear what Yesteryear’s protagonist intended when she downloaded the Instagram app and started her journey as an influencer. Here’s what we can say for sure: Natalie, or Nattie, is a devout Christian and a proud housewife. She is intelligent but believes little can be learned at university. Well-married — no, phenomenally well-married — to the youngest son of a senator who is a potential presidential candidate. A potential presidential candidate for none other than the United States.

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