NICOLE DORSEY
Born in Mississauga Ontario, Nicole grew up in Burlington before moving to Toronto to attend Ryerson University's film production program where she obtained her BFA. Her debut feature, BLACK CONFLUX (2019), held its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film took part in the WIDC Story Program and was a finalist in Francis Ford Coppola's Screenplay Contest. Dorsey also directed ARLO ALONE (2016) through Canadian broadcaster Bell Media; the short premiered in competition at the Atlanta Film Festival and was a Vimeo Staff Pick and A&E Best Film Winner. With a strong penchant for character-driven material, Dorsey aims to present a realist portrayal of the human condition.

Director's statement
"BLACK CONFLUX first began as a study in determinism, a sort of investigation between fate and coincidence. But over time, it gradually shifted into this unconventional coming-of-age tale with deep running themes of isolation, alienation, masculinity and femininity. In the era of #metoo and #timesup, it came to my attention that perhaps Black Conflux is also illustrating the menacing world women are a apart of - highlighting the looming dangers we most fear, and revealing that deviants like Dennis are not particularly unique individuals, but moreso products of the culture and society we live in. When writing, I had a split brain, stepping into the shoes of both characters equally. I was inspired by classics such as Taxi Driver and Smooth Talk. And also independent films, like Simon Killer and It Felt Like Love. I had to be both Dennis and Jackie at the same time. Her experiences in many ways are linked to my own adolescent struggle with sexuality, whereas Dennis required much research. I relied heavily on Elliot Leyton's “Hunting Humans'; the acclaimed academic on violent serial criminals in addition to podcasts and message boards surrounding topics of men's rights groups. My hope for Black Conflux is to contribute to current conversations by exploring empathy and offering hope, providing an avenue in which we can heal and move forward together".