A woman goes about her day, putting on a clean dress, and taking care of chores in the house. The visuals, however, are coupled with a sinister voice of a man who proclaims god-like truths, immediately making the viewer deeply uneasy. 

The woman, on the contrary, is comfortable, and in the process of preparing for something, a ritual perhaps for the Children of Enoch, the cult she is a part of. After the death of Father Enoch, the leader whose voice now echoes through the realm of the film pronouncing the cult's philosophies, and two of her companions, she awaits their resurrection on the sixth day. The film opens on the very day when, if the dead are not brought back to life, the watcher, the woman herself, must ‘join’ them in their ‘journey’. 

Long, fixed shots of the protagonist moving about in a house with notable ease that harbors three dead bodies, daintily dressed in her pale pink dress, ushers in the definitive horror inherent to the narrative. The subtlety of the horror, quiet but undeniable in its impact, becomes the most prominent strength of the film. The consequent, skillfully-handled narrative, further bolstered by equally remarkable performances, becomes powerful and disconcerting in its brevity.

The Watcher | Short Film of the Month

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

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 the many nuances and undercurrents that lurk in the unsaid things. 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 Month

With his dog as a constant companion, and listener of all his woes, Ari soldiers on trying to figure out the best way to lead his life. Archival footage, and pop culture references, to name a few elements that constitute this colorful, eclectic ride, are imbued with a tone of intimacy and the personal, all along tackling the age-old question echoed in the title - how to live. 

Tied with the internal struggles of an artist, and the meaning they might seek in their creative processes, in the act of constructing something from scratch, the film also presents elements of docufiction as well as of an autobiographical documentary. However, the sentiment that prevails above all is the eventual heartwarming culmination of Ari’s journey. 

The film is a success not simply because it entertains, amuses, and involves, all of which it achieves with ease, but most importantly because it leaves audiences with a sense of invincible hope that only accentuates the narrative's inherent uplifting ideas on life and the wonder of the journey that it has to offer.

How to Live | Short Film of the Month

‘Trill’ is a heartfelt portrayal of a moment in a girl’s life, a moment defined by self-doubt, uncertainty and the pursuit to overcome it all. The film is especially beautiful in the intimacy it brings to everything that this moment comes to stand for, while efficiently utilizing narratorial brevity all along. 

The protagonist, a young woman, ruins a singing audition. After the disappointment, she comes home to a nagging mother who reminds her to focus on her academics more than anything else. She is not only left with the heartbreak of a failed audition, but also a resounding sense of isolation and loneliness in a space where there is little recognition of her talent and desires. 

The developments portrayed thus are tied together by a single triumphant act in solitude, one where the girl’s voice is undiminished and invincible - whether only in her head or in the real world, that remains irrelevant and inconsequential. However, the might of it all, whether or not it is witnessed by another, exists within her, and it is indeed this sentiment that takes the film home in a complete manner.

Trill | Short Film of the Month

‘Julian’ is a wonderfully entertaining exploration of familial dynamics. It presents a ridiculously bizarre circumstance, a woman deeply and delusionally in love with a fruit, to talk about one of the most universally common aspects of our social structures, conflicted sibling equations. 

Brynn is a seemingly successful pediatrician, in a healthy, supportive relationship. However, her loving partner is juxtaposed against Marlow, her “toxic”, by her own acceptance, sister. As the party of three meets for a reconciliation meal, things continue to get out of control in quick succession. 
The film is intelligent in its brevity, ensuring that the leanness of the narrative works in its favour, keeping you involved in the plight as well as the antics of its characters throughout. Additionally, the story has its heart in the right place, ensuring that it closes with an unexpected, but undeniable, sense of warmth and wholesomeness.

Julian | Short Film of the Month

‘Christmas Threesome’ is an effortlessly funny and entertaining ride, taking us into a single conversation between two men who try to come up with a cheap Christmas present, and in their pursuit, land on a threesome. The conversation develops alongside the complexity of all that it entails - a man trying to first comprehend if his wife truly wants the threesome or is simply bluffing. Next comes the conundrum of choosing a party for this sexual escapade, and lastly, his struggle to locate himself within the circumstance. 

The banter continues, while care is taken to keep the plot structure lean, without even a single extra beat or moment. 

The ensuing conversation is seamlessly crafted, ensuring that all the punches land. The writing, as well as the chemistry of the two actors, leave no stone unturned in achieving this. The final result is a crisp, brief narrative, that concludes with the welcome prospect of a longer endeavor that will only explore the situation at hand further.

Christmas Threesome  | Short Film of the Month

‘Navi Boys’ is a beautiful, and efficient, utilization of resources, performances and writing to portray a single moment, a conflict, and the confrontation, struggle and the eventual resolution that constitute it. Mike and Elon present to us a day in their lives where they conduct a podcast, the eponymous Avatar-fan podcast, that leaves no stone unturned in committing to the authenticity of the said universe. 

With absolute dedication to the fandom, makeup and linguistic requirements, the two friends share their love for the film, and its sequel, with their listeners. However, Elon has an important announcement to make as well on this particular day, one that would leave the future of the podcast, and in many ways, of the relationship that he shares with Mike, deeply uncertain. 

The true triumph of the film lies in the manner in which the myriad elements are united into a seamless whole. Drama, intimacy, and humor become part of the entire spectrum of emotions delineated within the narrative. From hurt, disappointment, a sense of betrayal, to acceptance, forgiveness, and of course, friendship - all of these are engaged with remarkably, taking the film home with ease and sincerity.

Navi Boys  | Short Film of the Month

‘Windows’ is a wonderful endeavor that takes you in the most unexpected directions, in the most seamless ways. A man has arrived at a destination but is unwilling to let go of his cab just yet. He is struggling with a dilemma, an impossible conundrum with no solution in sight. A truly marvelous (read: disconcerting) conversation ensues when he shares the same with the driver. 

The man has been cheated on by his wife with his best friend. As he waits in the car before he sets out to meet the couple for dinner, all sorts of violent thoughts cross his mind. A discussion of the same with the driver carries us down some very dark, disturbing paths. The film employs the limited space of a car most judiciously to conjure this circumstance. 

The conversation that develops is free-flowing, reducing us to the status of not a viewer, but almost an eavesdropper. The lighting exhibits control, and the storytelling skill, ensuring that the film succeeds at conveying all that it had set out to convey.

Windows | Short Film of the Month

It is a regular day for Rudy, an incarcerated felon in a high-security prison, who is behind bars serving a life sentence for brutal crimes against women. Without dwelling on the details, and simply working with suggestions instead, which do more than an adequate job of constructing the narrative, 'Prisoner #1616' presents itself to you. 

A researcher, Monica, has come to the prison to interact with Rudy, and confirm a theory she has been working on regarding human DNA. The dance of the power dynamics between the two characters, as they blur lines between the protagonist and the antagonist, is truly a joy to watch. 

The conversation that unfolds ensures the viewer’s attention is glued to the screen throughout, lest they miss even the slightest detail. DNA and music, a song, memories, and the past, science and reincarnation, all of them are invoked to conjure the world of the film, and what a world it is. Marked by smooth performances, neat visuals and a gripping storyline, the film refuses to let even a single moment slip, building tension and taking the viewer as well as the characters down a path of no return.

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