Nuclear Boy

AIKE (Guus Blanken), a lonely 17-year-old outcast, craves attention and finds it online by conducting dangerous chemistry experiments. Hoping to pull Aike out of his internet bubble, his mother (Jelka van Houten)—a hardworking nurse—sends him to the Scouts to make real-life friends. When that fails, Aike feels rejected and hurt. Determined to prove himself to the world, he embarks on his most ambitious experiment yet: secretly building a nuclear breeder reactor in his mother’s garden shed. He is encouraged in this endeavor by a growing group of online followers. Buoyed by this success, Aike gains confidence and works up the courage to connect with the boys in his Scout troop. Finally, Aike feels accepted! But when the reactor spirals out of control, the catastrophic consequences are unimaginable. NUCLEAR BOY is inspired by true events.