Alumni Vietnam war documentary nominated for national CBI award

A student film produced for Diana Nicolae’s Documentary Production class in 2015-16 has been named a national finalist for a prestigious College Broadcaster’s Inc. award.

Heart of a Hero, produced by then-senior radio, television & film majors Michael Matarese, Lauren Rauffer, Federick Casario and Patrick Hopper, tells the story of Matarese’s father, also named Michael, who was gravely wounded in a 1968 battle during the Vietnam War but pulled to safety by two comrades. Matarese never knew who those comrades were and the film traces his and his son’s efforts to find them.

The younger Matarese said unlike some war veterans, for whom discussing their experiences in battle is too difficult, his father was not only willing to talk about what happened during the Battle of Dong Ha, a fiercely defended combat zone in which he was shot in the neck, but to help bring the story to film.

“My dad’s been very open to talk about how things happened,” Matarese said. “Over all these years he’s wanted to thank them but wasn’t sure how.”

Unfortunately, he said, Army records did not make finding the men easier. Matarese, of Mullica Hill, was shot on May 8 or May 9 (his recollection of May 8 is contrary to Army records indicating the incident happened May 9) and that discrepancy is indicative of the bureaucratic mess it’s been to locate the men who saved him.

Now 68, Matarese knows that time is running out to find the men – assuming they’re still alive.

The younger Matarese, who wrote, produced and edited some of the 24-minute film, said while he and his dad did not locate the men in the course of making the film they learned a great deal about what soldiers in the battle went through.

“We found a few others who were in the same battle,” he said. “We learned that one of the commanding officers, a lieutenant, was killed in the battle. He was trying to protect his men and in doing so was not under cover.”

Said Rauffer: “It’s a very emotional story. Some people have actually cried just watching the trailer.”

Matarese said the film has been screened once for veterans and those who helped to produce it and he hopes to show it more after the CBI program next month.

Nicolae said nomination for a CBI award is extremely competitive and that CBI receives hundreds of submissions each year.

“It really means a lot to be recognized,” she said.

Though, of course, she hopes the film wins, Nicolae said simply being nominated provides a great opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to show their material and network with industry professionals.

“It takes a lot of sacrifice and many long hours to make a documentary, (but it also takes) access, commitment and a great story,” she said. “These kind of rewards are to be expected when passion and hard work come together to create a meaningful film and it can open the door to a successful career. This is what I, as an educator, wish for all of my students."

Heart of a Hero was nominated in the Best Documentary/Public Affairs category. Winners will be announced during the National Student Electronic Media Convention Oct. 20-22 in Philadelphia.