America’s racial justice movement has long inspired people to question societal conventions in the most unexpected ways and places. The new documentary, ‘My Omaha,’ showcases the importance of debating such cultural divides through the personal and professional lenses of up-and-coming filmmaker, Nick Beaulieu.

The storyteller chronicles the way the escalating situation has encouraged discussion over how to end community conflict across the titular middle-class Midwestern city. He intertwined those talks with how the movement inspired his once close family, which resides in the Nebraskan city, to reconnect after becoming increasingly divided over the country’s recent politics.

Beaulieu made his feature film directorial debut on the project, which he also wrote and served as the cinematographer on. He also appears in, and produced, the movie.

‘My Omaha’ is set to have its World Premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival, which is moving to Los Angeles this year. The project is holding its first screening at the Slamdance Film Festival this Sunday, February 23 at 11:45am PT at the Panasonic LUMIX Theater at Quixote. The documentary will then have its second screening at the festival this Tuesday, February 25 at 1:30pm PT at the Landmark Theater 4. For more information on the movie and its screening at the festival, including how to buy tickets, visit its page on Slamdance’s website.

‘My Omaha’ showcases how after Donald Trump was first elected president in 2016, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is escalating in Omaha. Beaulieu, who had just graduated from journalism school at the time, was determined to understand how these forces were colliding in his hometown. Along the way, he met Leo Louis II, a fearless activist, who introduced him to the birthplace of Malcolm X in North Omaha.

At the same time, Beaulieu explores the increasingly tense relationship with his fiercely pro-Trump father, Randy. After Randy is diagnosed with stage-4 cancer, the father-son duo commits to finding a new place of mutual understanding. The filmmaker also confronts the reality of his father’s illness and their uncompromising differences.

Beaulieu also becomes closer with Louis along the way. As they get to know each other, the filmmaker documents the activist’s ascension in Omaha as he guides the city through crisis following the polarizing death of a protestor. During his study of the racial justice movement of his city, Beaulieu searches for the deeper truths of what it says about America overall.

Beaulieu generously took the time earlier this week to talk about helming, producing and shooting ‘My Omaha’ during an exclusive interview over Zoom. Among other things, the filmmaker discussed that he was inspired to make the movie to help surcease how diverse communities in a city like Omaha must overcome disparity to truly be equal. The documentarian also mentioned that he’s honored that the feature is having its World Premiere at Slamdance.

Watch Film Factual’s exclusive video interview with Beaulieu about ‘My Omaha’ above.