The documentary film, achieved in an experimental manner with regards to its visuals, is a tying together of the experiences and accounts of five different people, all practitioners of the Buddhist faith. The topic they all engage with is dreams - the pleasant as well as the intimidating ones, and their recurrent or prophetic nature (or, as is true in some cases, both). All of this is achieved by exhibiting a skilled use of rotoscoping to paint a picture of its subject matter for the viewer. The neatness of the predominantly monochromatic palette is in direct contrast with the surreal images that bleed into one, blurring lines and mingling into each other. Further, the specific animation technique allows an otherworldly, dreamy quality to its visuals - undeniably the strongest aspect of the film. One of the weaker aspects, however, remains its narrative. While the plot line inherently possesses potential, it remains to be realised. The execution of the story does not do enough justice to the interaction with its thematic concerns, leaving several aspects open-ended and not allowing the viewer the chance at a single thread that could have weaved them all together.

Everything is Upstream | Short Film Nominee

In a patriarchal world, harassment and more serious instances of assault on women are often normalized both for and by women to a disturbing extent. It is precisely for this reason a woman in the film finds herself capable of mentioning a terrible experience from her recent past to a current date, simply as a passing, flippant comment. When the information is shared right on the heels of a sexual encounter, it alters things significantly for the man, leaving him uncertain about the decisions he should make next. 

 The film is a compelling conversation on the very pertinent issue of consent and the location of women in heteronormative sexual encounters. It exhibits a genuine and relevant engagement with the thought, handling the aftermath of such an incident in a sensitive and intelligent manner. 

 Additionally, there is also the attempt to explore the male experience vis-a-vis a deeply traumatic event in a woman's life that can leave him shaken and unsure of how to comprehend his own emotions which could be anything from a complete disavowal of responsibility to guilt, concern and accountability. Sí introduces us to a crucial moment one night, presenting the viewer with important propositions for them to tackle on their own. Having said that, it would be interesting to see the film's premise developed further in a longer project or in subsequent parts of the short film.

Sí | Short Film Nominee

It would be an oversimplification to put Lunch Room in the category of a comedy simply due to the myriad emotions and an entire spectrum of intensities it invokes. Additionally, while also suggesting intelligence of thought behind the choice, it chooses to confine itself to the same physical space, for the most part of the series, to allow all of these emotions a detailed portrayal. Essentially, the story is of a group of retail professionals who work at a supermarket called Oz Supermart. Within the group, however, rest innumerable forces of culture, religion, relationships and several other societal elements, tugging at them from different directions. If on the one hand, there is the attempt to conjure a conversation on police brutality and the systemic racism it entails, on the other, there is a discussion of African history. If one episode takes us into an impassioned discussion on institutionalized faith and belief in the idea of God, the other brings in minority representation by way of characters endearing in their quirkiness. What the narrative eventually achieves is tying all of these characters together with the common thread of the room where they turn up every day as part of their job which is sometimes mundane and sluggish, sometimes brimming with gossip, and sometimes simply the backdrop of a romantic date. Portraying events like the Covid-19 lockdown further allows the narrative a connection with the contemporary reality, serving to perhaps draw the viewer deeper. On the whole, the series becomes a sweet, devoted and sincere effort to introduce you to a world that will linger with you even after you are done conversing with it.

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