NUCLEAR!, 14min., USA
Directed by Matthew Beltz
With mom gone, dad in a pit, and the neighborhood watching, Randy is trying to hold it together before everything explodes.

http://www.gonfalonpictures.com/
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Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

It really came from a desire to keep creating with people that I love to work with. My producing partners, Jimmy Luc and Alex Caimano, and I had made two short films prior to Nuclear (Death March and Four Pins) which both took place during war time and were period pieces and we wanted to complete what we were calling our loose trilogy. So Jimmy and I went away to work on the script for a number of months and we just felt that a family drama taking place against the backdrop of a nuclear war was fitting. The hysteria and absurdity of that time period felt contemporary and relatable.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

The whole process from the initial idea to finalizing the movie took about a year.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Learning lesson.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

We didn't really encounter any one big obstacle. The whole thing was a series of hurdles, as it is with any project you take on. But that's what it's all about, right? It's 3-D problem solving. Best job I ever had.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It's always great when you're given an opportunity to receive audience feedback. As filmmakers we put a lot of time and love into the stories we're telling and to hear that this particular story resonated makes all the effort worth it. It was rewarding and humbling to hear the audience discuss some of the themes like grief and loss, in the story. I've also felt that the Nuclear! cast and crew are incredibly talented, and it was wonderful to hear that their work in sound, music, set design, and costumes being recognized.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I've always known I wanted to make films but the first time it really clicked was when I saw Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas at way too young of an age. I just remembered thinking, 'What the hell did I just see?' And really it just became an obsession from there to try and learn what it meant to make a film and make people feel something at the same time. It's not easy and I don't know how successful I am at it but it's certainly what makes getting out of bed each morning worth it.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Good question. Maybe The Goonies? It's hard to say but right now I'm particularly obsessed with Harmony Korine's The Beach Bum. That's the movie I've had on repeat for the better part of two months now.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I always love getting audience feedback, which your festival has implemented. I know it's not always possible but that's always rewarding when you get to see how people respond to your work.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

FilmFreeway is an awesome platform. It's a one stop shop for filmmakers and I'm happy it exists.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I'm a big fan of a good ol' PB&J sandwich. Always brightens my day.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

We've got a lot of things currently in the works. Right now we're finishing up post production on our most recent short film, Odessa, which was produced in tandem with Steve Schloss and his team at Hot Brick Productions. Odessa is about bad people doing bad things and we designed it to be sort of an ode to the grindhouse double features of the 70's and 80's. Aside from that we're just trying to mine for our next story and be open to whatever is next.