What happens when a man only has 1500 words left to live? Does he rage against the arbitrary nature of life where words have come to reign supreme when it comes to human communication? Or does he accept silence as his fate and goes on with life with his head down? The film is a humorous yet heart-breaking exploration of the same dilemma as Stanley struggles to stay alive as well as his keep marriage afloat. In its own nuanced and comedic manner, the narrative further engages with the importance (or the lack of it) of silence in a relationship. As Stanley strives to extend his life, a very tough enemy remains to be conquered - the absolute human need to articulate - be it sadness, pain, anger, denial or love. Amidst all this rigmarole of emotions, expectations and duties, where will the protagonist finally find himself?

1500 Words | Short Film of the Day

The film preoccupies itself with a moment that is fraught with extreme tension and anxiety, and yet, subdued and muzzled by layers and layers of familial dynamics and etiquette. Young Jade arrives at the birthday party of her grandmother, but the event is marked by something oppressive, something far beyond the realm of the child's comprehension by leaps and bounds. 

Jade will meet her half-sister Katrina for the first time on this day. The constant sense of unease never truly leaves the adult equations either, and located at the heart of all this is the alienation and anxiety Jade experiences, without the ability to articulate or even process all that unfolds. 

 
The short film does a beautiful, earnest job of portraying all of the many nuances and undercurrents that lurk in the things left unsaid. Eschewing sentimentalism, or any kind of overt emotional outbursts or exclamations, the realm is conjured for the viewer. The visual grammar, as well as the silences, tied together most seamlessly by the immense vulnerability of its young protagonist, complete and deliver the film to the audience.

Half | Short Film of the Day

The story of the short film is simple and straight. It is told with a crispness (of acting, editing, pacing of the structure), with not a single moment wasted on any redundancies, that succeeds in making Standby a deeply endearing watch. The narrative is about the shared space of two cops as they go about their daily duties. From an awkward start to their relationship to all the warmth, concern and mutual support it comes to stand for - the film portrays it all. This storytelling is further enhanced by an efficient utilisation of the limited resources of space, albeit self-inflicted by the narrative, that holds the viewer's attention throughout. Visually the film is achieved primarily within a single, fixed frame of the front of the car of the two characters, Gary and Jenny. While they keep moving with the occurrence of different events in their lives, the camera remains at the same spot throughout. Seamless editing further ensures that this does not become repetitive, while also allowing the film to be a humorous, touching watch throughout.

Standby | Short Film of the Day

It's incredibly difficult to pin down what this film truly means to a viewer. It is ethereal and visceral at the same time. It is extremely complex, nuanced, evasive, and yet, at its core, has a simple premise. While the subject it deals with is endlessly layered, its voice and tone is fairly straightforward. But wait, what genre does it belong to? Is it dramatic, surreal, violent in its execution of its story? Is it all or none of it? As you struggle with the questions and their answers, it is indeed in this compulsion you feel to engage with it that the success of the film lies. The body of the narrative is the poem of the same name by Olivia Gatwood. Though both Dani Pearce and Gatwood belong to different parts of the world, having first participated in the conversation around this short film virtually, Backpedal further goes on to exhibit the transcendence of art, the universality of an experience when it's treated with absolute honesty and sincerity. The story becomes a commentary on gender, the desperate need of adolescents to fit in with their peers, in general, and of young women trying to fit in with their male counterparts in particular. Violent images of a murder are invoked, as are those of grief, tragedy and loss. It's astonishing how much the film manages to convey in its short length. Further, it's unequivocally loud and clear in its message, one expressed in an experimental manner, ensuring that the story and its images will continue to haunt you, making you return to it over and over again after your first interaction with the world conjured by Backpedal.

Backpedal | Short Film of the Day

Mental health has made significant inroads into our cinema and art, and this film goes ahead to prove the same. Potentially triggering for those who battle mental health issues on a regular basis, the film is a literal and metaphorical representation of a man's struggle to grapple with his own internal demons. As the protagonist tries to take transitory comfort in substance abuse and drown the voices in his head in alcohol, the film holds the potential of being relatable for several viewers in the same age group as him. The strongest aspects of Lost in Oblivion are definitely it's performance and camerawork, both working arduously to make the story work. Succeeding at it, the various elements of the narrative come together to invoke an urgent concern - the absolute need to acknowledge and address the mental health concerns of a huge part of contemporary society.

Lost in Oblivion | Short Film of the Day

The narrative of the film makes the most judicious and notable use of camerawork, coupled with sound, to conjure its story. A pre-teen girl is navigating ideas of sexuality, trying to locate her own relationship with her body and desire. Part of a household that is ravaged by divorce and parents who refuse to see each other eye-to-eye, she finds herself turning to books, peers and her own lived reality. Since the film is set in 1983, of course all this information is not simply a few web searches away on her smartphone. It's important to mention the year of the story also because it does a wonderful portrayal of a world away from the internet and technology, making the viewer forget that there might actually exist another reality. What stands out the most is the film's unique exploration of the sexual desires of an age group that rarely makes its presence felt in mainstream art and media. Add to it stellar performances by the young cast, and there is nothing in How Does it Start that will leave the viewer unimpressed after their engagement with the film.

How Does It Start | Short Film of the Day

The most notable aspect of ‘Trinity’ remains its animation. Marked by smoothness and skill, it allows the film to be a complete final result standing firmly on its feet. The narrative preoccupies itself with a single moment in time, the detonation of an atomic bomb. The visuals are gradual and organic in the world they bring to life, endeavoring to capture the moment of the explosion, and its aftermath. As the mushroom cloud rushes to the sky, the monochromatic realm of the film achieves completion. The edit remains tight and well-rounded throughout, the project brief and frugal, devoid of any actors or dialogue.

Trinity | Short Film of the Day

The film weaves a narrative of mystery and horror without taking refuge in the regular elements of darkness or shrill background scores. It takes its time building up to finally achieve a well-formed crescendo and climax. A writer finds himself at an Airbnb which has recently witnessed the death of the owner of the property. Consequently, it is now available for an unusually low rent. The protagonist is quick to make use of this opportunity, and moves in for a temporary stay as he struggles to finish a writing project. However, soon things take an unexpected turn as he finds a stranger lurking around the house and his surroundings. Throughout its duration, the film leads the viewer in a specific direction with its breadcrumb-trail. Will you find yourself going down the correct path or will you be surprised by the twist that awaits you at the conclusion of the film?

Old Haunt | Short Film of the Day

The film is sci-fi, satire, surrealism and absurdity all thrown in together. The stuff of nightmares meets a strong commentary on society's fixation with outer appearances, and thus is born Caterpillarplasty. Now it should be clear at the onset that the film is not for those with a weak-stomach. It will disorient the viewer on several levels with its disconcerting elements, portrayed both as a suggestion as well as explicitly through the visuals and sound. As a proud consumer enters a spotlessly white and glossy establishment for treatments to enhance physical appearance, he is greeted by a attentive man with his unnaturally broad (and unforgettably wicked) grin and disturbingly neat appearance. The narrative further takes it satirical commentary ahead by revealing what it is that the protagonist truly wants and the extent to which he is willing to go to achieve it. While a massive establishment makes seemingly huge profits, evident by the size of their clientele, a patient here and there might struggle with medical complications. Convulsions in a person next to you? Of course the expert knows which concoction of chemicals to be pumped into their body to ease it, and then draw your attention away from it all. The film holds the mirror to a culture where the supremacy of outward beauty and looks reigns free. As lines between vanity and insanity blur, the film does its bit to adequately communicate to the viewer this particularly grotesque aspect of contemporary society.

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