Right at the onset, with simply its title, the film sets the tone for several ideas pertaining to identity, beauty, and how we perceive ourselves, while also hinting at insecurities. 'Mirror' does not present a straightforward approach to these ideas, and instead, leaves it up to the viewer to make what they will of this tale which is marked by humor, unexpected moments of tension, and the plight of the protagonist amidst it all. 

Strange messages have been appearing on people’s mirrors all over the world, messages of encouragement, validation, and support. And yet, Dale’s message is far from that, it’s more of an attack on his personality. As he grapples with its meaning, the story takes the viewer down some very interesting paths. 

Is the film about Dale’s struggle with intimacy, and how he eventually overcomes it in an unexpected manner? Or is it a story of his deep unease with his own body, and its desires and wants, not without its undercurrents of homoeroticism, and is it only when he is able to make peace with all of it that a negative message finds a positive articulation in his life as well as the film? Or is it about none of this but an underlying threat of violence that takes him to a disconcerting corner, to an experience that he has sanitized for worldly consumption, giving people what they want to hear? 

The film raises all of these questions and answers none, and it is in these grey areas that it attains completion and becomes an entertaining, involving endeavor in storytelling.

Mirror | Short Film of the Month

‘Phriend’ is an endearing story about isolation, loneliness and the eventual, unexpected path on which one finally finds a friend. With only his camera as a constant, the protagonist moves from one silent corner of his life to another, looking for companionship, but only meeting rejection at every turn. 

The visuals of the film are marked by a corresponding silence in its muted pastels and neutrals. The approach remains consistent across the different elements of the storytelling. At the end of it all awaits a lovely message about friendship, hesitation and the desire to connect with one another despite obstacles, internal or external, that stand in one’s path. 

 Consequently, when the conclusion is achieved, the film leaves you with a sweet warmth in the pit of your stomach. The result is an honest endeavour that offers a glimpse into a visual and emotional approach. It is a welcome prospect to see more of it in subsequent projects.

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