Magazine: A Nostalgic Look at New York's Last Print Pulse

When Print Was Power

As I sat through the premiere of Alexandra Pechman's Magazine at TIFF, I couldn't help but feel like I'd been transported back to that hazy, hopeful time just before smartphones and social media took over our lives. This isn't a nostalgic trip for the sake of nostalgia — it's a full-on meditation on what we lost when print gave way to pixels.

"It was sort of wanting to try to like answer that question of 'Why do I miss that?'"

Pechman, who wrote the screenplay and makes her directorial debut here, understands that Magazine isn't just a film — it's a love letter to a bygone era. The story centers on Nora (Lily McInerny), a recent college grad from Arizona doing an internship at Platen magazine, which was probably the last hurrah for the kind of print media that defined New York's creative scene.

Friendship Over FOMO

What struck me most is how Pechman chose to tell this story through the lens of friendship rather than fame or fortune. The film doesn't romanticize the workplace as a place where dreams come true — it shows the real struggles, the power dynamics, and the messy truths behind the glossy facades that print magazines once projected.

There's a scene where Nora realizes that behind those powerful figures at Platen, everyone is just as clueless as she is. It's not a revelation — it's a comfort. In fact, it feels like one of those rare moments in film where we're told something so simple but profound that it makes us question everything.

Backstory and Soul

Pechman's own journey into filmmaking is as fascinating as the narrative she tells. As someone who has worked in magazines for years, her understanding of how the publishing world functioned — with its networks, hierarchies, and human dynamics — shines through every frame.

I found myself wondering: How did we get to this point? Where did that sense of community go? And why did it matter so much? Magazine answers those questions by grounding them in real people and relationships. It's a film that makes you feel like you're sitting in the back of the newsroom, waiting for the next big story — even if that big story is just figuring out what to do with your life.

Lily McInerny's Performance

McInerny brings a level of nuance and vulnerability to Nora that elevates the entire project. She's not trying to be the classic ingenue — she's trying to find her place in a world that doesn't quite know how to fit her in. Her performance captures both the naivety and strength of young women navigating early careers, especially when those careers are defined by something as ephemeral as print.

McInerny herself described her character's arc as one where she learns that success isn't about climbing ladders or impressing editors — it's about finding people who understand you. That message hits differently today than it would have 15 years ago, but maybe that's what makes Magazine so timeless.

The Last Gasps of Print

Pechman cleverly uses the technology gap between then and now as a narrative device. In the world of Magazine, there are no Instagram bios, no LinkedIn profiles, no Google searches to check up on someone's credentials. Everyone has to learn about each other through direct interaction, which makes every moment feel more intimate and authentic.

This is what separates Magazine from typical coming-of-age films — it takes place in a world where the internet hasn't yet become a weapon of self-comparison. In this context, friendships are formed organically, not through shared hashtags or viral moments.

A New Kind of Storytelling

What I appreciate most about Pechman's approach is how she treats her audience like someone who remembers the old ways. She doesn't pander to millennials who lived through this period; instead, she crafts a story that resonates across generations because it's grounded in universal experiences — belonging, identity, ambition.

She shows us how fragile those moments were, and how much more meaningful they felt when they weren't mediated by screens. In many ways, Magazine is not just a film about the end of print media, but a celebration of what was lost in its wake — the slow, human way we used to connect with each other.

Final Thoughts

Magazine isn't going to win awards for groundbreaking cinematography or revolutionary plot twists. But it will be remembered for something rarer and more valuable: a deep, emotional understanding of how culture changes and what we lose in the process. It's a bittersweet reflection on an era that shaped our generation — and perhaps, even ours.

As someone who grew up reading magazines instead of scrolling through feeds, I can say that this film captures something real and precious. We may have lost the tactile joy of holding a magazine in our hands, but we didn't lose the spirit of curiosity and connection that drove us to seek it out.

Magazine reminds us that even when everything seems to change, some things — like friendship, creativity, and human storytelling — endure.