Jan. 23, 2024

Every 85 Minutes is a short film shot by UNLV Film alumni that was produced with support from a UNLV Fine Arts seed grant and a National Endowment of the Arts grant. It also received a Congressional recommendation in October 2023 by Representative Susie Lee where she stated, "I firmly believe that Every 85 Minutes is a must-watch not only for veterans, but also for anyone who wants to gain insight into the struggles faced by those who have served their country. This film is a compelling and necessary narrative that encourages veterans to reach out for the support they deserve, ultimately showing that healing is possible even in the darkest of times."   The film recently won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Short at the 2023 Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles and will screen in Nevada at the Dam Short Film Festival in Boulder City on Feb. 16.    Every 85 Minutes portrays the life of Deana, an Army veteran in Las Vegas struggling with PTSD and MST (Military Sexual Trauma). When memories of her assault are triggered, she battles with the choice of ending it all or getting help.    "The overall purpose is to raise awareness of mental health assistance available to veterans through the VA," said Jason Aaron Goldberg, director. "We focused on our female veterans, who often get overlooked in this struggle."   "When I learned that 1 in 4 female service members report instances of MST (Military Sexual Trauma), and those are only the ones who report, I felt compelled to try to bring some attention to the issue," he continued. "I am very proud that we have an active duty Army reservist playing the lead role and a Vietnam veteran playing her father, in addition to more veterans behind the camera."   Goldberg is a UNLV Fine Arts alumnus and a member of SAG/AFTRA and the Dramatists Guild of America.   Other alumni to note on the project were Joseph Campanale (producer/editor) and Hylarie Aguilar (director of photography).