What 2019 short film, directed by Mike C. Nelson, explores a young boy's struggle with his family's hidden dark secrets?

While the short film The Good Boy (Review) is indeed a compelling narrative exploring a young boy's struggle with his family's hidden dark secrets, particularly within the context of dog fighting, publicly available information does not consistently attribute its direction to Mike C. Nelson in 2019 for this specific plot. The film described, a 10-minute narrative drama following an 8-year-old boy named Issac who discovers his family's involvement in dog fighting, is a poignant story about a child grappling with moral dilemmas and the pressure to uphold family values.

This version of "The Good Boy" centers on Issac's journey as he is tasked by his father to find a dog that could win prize money for his ailing mother. However, as Issac grows attached to the pit bull he finds, named Chico, he learns that the prize money hinges on the animal's physical harm in a dog fighting ring. The film powerfully explores themes of masculinity, the weight of family expectations, and the difficult choice Issac faces between loyalty to his family and protecting an innocent animal.

Despite extensive searches, a direct link confirming Mike C. Nelson as the director of this specific 2019 short film, "The Good Boy," with the detailed plot involving Issac and dog fighting, could not be consistently verified in the available filmographies or databases. Mike C. Nelson's filmography primarily lists his work as an actor and producer, with some acting credits in 2019 for other projects like "The Mortuary Collection." There are other short films and features titled "Good Boy" by different directors and release years, but none align precisely with the director, year, and plot specified.