Four filmmakers have been named finalists in the Cold War Film Contest announced by the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site and the Friends of Oscar-Zero, a contest that promised use of the underground facility as a background for films.
Prospective filmmakers were invited in March to submit applications and film ideas to the site for the chance to gain special access to film at the Oscar-Zero Missile Alert Facility near Cooperstown, N.D.
The four selected applicants are:
- Christopher P. Jacobs. His "Cold Four" was proposed as a short science-fiction film about four officers at a remote winter outpost. Since 1970, Jacobs, Grand Forks, has produced and directed six full-length feature movies and numerous short films. Since 2006, he has been instrumental in the annual UND summer movie camp, a two-week workshop teaching the fundamentals of film. A senior lecturer in the UND English Department, Jacobs teaches the UND film class.
- Doug Mattis. Mattis' entry, "Cold Standoff," was proposed as a short drama and suspense film that explores the paranoia and spy activity that came with the Cold War. A recent graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead film production and fine arts program, Mattis has extensive experience in acting, directing and producing.
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- Dan Wakefield. A history teacher at Devils Lake High School, Wakefield will involve the students of his North Dakota history and American studies classes in producing vignettes that examine the Cold War in North Dakota. The students will piece together multiple two- to three-minute segments to create a film examining the role of the military and of civilians and the general populace of North Dakota during the Cold War.
- Larrie Wanberg. Wanberg's entry, "Warm Stories of a Cold War Missile Site," originated from Sundial Stories, which is a film crew of area students directed by a retired professor as part of Dakota Heritage Institute. The short film will highlight the stories of five workers at the site, narrating their times as military personnel and documenting their memories.
On-site filming was scheduled to begin this month and run through February.
Once filming is complete, the filmmakers have until June 30 to submit the films to the staff at the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site for judging.
Films will be judged by a multidisciplinary team for their cinematic and historical merits. Prizes will be awarded.
One goal of the project, a news release said, is to link independent filmmakers to one of the nation's most unique Cold War historic sites and to help bring attention to the state's Cold War history.
The films will enrich the interpretation of the site by presenting stories of the tense and complex interplay of military preparedness, politics, culture and social life during the Cold War period.
Project coordinators want the films to help area students develop a deeper interest in Cold War history and in creative filmmaking projects.
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Info: Visit the site, or contact site supervisor Mark Sundlov, (701) 797-3691 or msundlov@nd.gov .
