About STAIRWAY TO THE 80S

SHORT SYNOPSIS:
A man from the 1980s must become a guardian angel and save a reckless fame-seeker in 2025 to secure his place in a heaven stuck in that decade.

LONG SYNOPSIS
In this fantasy-comedy, an '80s man finds himself trapped in limbo until he proves his worth as a guardian angel. To earn his place in a heaven forever set in 1989, he must guide a reckless fame-seeker in 2025 away from a life-altering mistake. Mixing heart, humor, and nostalgia, Stairway to the 80s explores redemption, second chances, and the clash between eras.

Runtime: 10:05
Format: Short film
Shot on: Alexa Mini LF
Aspect Ratio: 4:3, 16:9
Color: Yes

Director's Statement / Bio

Director’s Statement:
With Stairway to the 80s, I wanted to capture the comedy, nostalgia, and absurdity of the 1980s while colliding it with today’s obsession with fame. The film is playful and heartfelt—about redemption, second chances, and how the past continues to shape us in unexpected ways.

As a lifelong fan of transformative films like It’s a Wonderful Life, I’m drawn to stories where flawed characters are given the chance to change. To honor that influence, we used the same Panchro lenses that were employed on It’s a Wonderful Life, aiming for the same magical, timeless feeling those images still evoke. This visual choice was one way of grounding the fantasy in a sense of cinematic history, while still bringing it into a modern context.

This film offers a glimpse of the idea that we are guided—sometimes by people we see, sometimes by forces we don’t. My hope is that audiences laugh, have fun, and leave with the thought that someone—whether family, friends, or something beyond—is always watching over us, helping us navigate this glimpse of eternity we call life.

Director Bio:
Russell Robertson is an award-winning film and television director whose work spans comedy pilots, reality TV, stand-up specials, and music videos. His projects include the stand-up special Denise Winkelman: Bougie on a Budget (Apple TV+), and consulting producer on the feature film Green Flake (sold to MGM and Starz; now streaming on Starz). He is known for his collaborative on-set approach, sharp comedic instincts, and visually engaging storytelling. His current projects include the fantasy-comedy short Stairway to the 80s and the historical drama series The Founder, developed with a multi-time bestselling author and, separately, a WGA- and Emmy-winning writer.

Cast & Key Crew

Cast
Antjuan Tobias as Tim (Angelyne – Peacock, Scandal – ABC, Army Wives – ABC)
Noble Morris as Jeff (Person Place or Thing – Fox First Run, Sinful Triangle – Avo Media, Mirror in the Bathroom)
Diana Domna as Svetlana (Love, Betrayal and Queen's Crown – Avo Media)
Jeff Zenisek as Mel (Awaken with JP Sears Show, Serial Soulmates – dir. Tyler Perry, Making Malcolm – dir. Tyler Perry)

Key Crew
Director/Writer/Story By/Producer: Russell Robertson (Denise Winkelman: Bougie on a Budget – Apple TV+, Green Flake – MGM/Starz, Bando Boyz – Amethyst Network)
Executive Producer/Story By: Cristian Del Toro (The Conversation, Illegal Download)
Associate Producer: Azeem Robinson-Downes (Shifting Gears – Netflix, Frasier – Paramount+, How I Met Your Father – Hulu)
Director of Photography: Nicholas Buckwalter (By Your Side, Dead Pet Shark, Pretty Boy)
Composer: Valentin Steudemann (Iron Summit, Trial and Error)
Set Decorator: Georgia Schwab (Daisy Jones & The Six – Amazon Prime Video, Raven's Home – Disney+, CSI: Vegas – CBS)
Prop Master: Matt Huish (Godzilla vs. Kong – WB, Black Adam – WB, Hurry Up Tomorrow – Lionsgate)

About STAIRWAY TO THE 80S

Director's Statement / Bio

Cast & Key Crew

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Press / News

Contact / Representation