The burden of human existence, and the pursuit of finding meaning within it, can acquire oppressively overwhelming proportions if allowed to grow. Neil Bishop, the protagonist of the film, finds his thoughts overpowered by the same preoccupation, leading him down a path from where there is no turning back. With a story that could any minute attain the tonality of a thriller, the disconcerting narrative continues to develop.
 
 As Neil moves from one house to another, meeting scores of people in a single day of work, delivering their lost luggage to them, all that he is allowed is a mere glimpse into their household and life. However, amidst the noise and chaos of activity of those around him, where is he truly located? While grappling with the question, he stumbles across a woman, nearly unconscious due to medication. 

 In her suffering and pain, he perhaps senses a kindred spirit of sorts. If not that then morbid curiosity leads him to take a longer, harder look at her existence as he combs through her luggage. A brief synopsis of her life is presented to both him and the viewer - once part of a happy marriage, she now lies in bed with injury or illness (or both), her face covered in bandages. 

Along with divorce papers, sex toys and lingerie, a vanity of colorful make-up lies ignored with tipped over medicine bottles and vials, dripping away their liquid, in a manner quite similar to the forever forward motion of life. 
Employing the deeply disturbing events that follow, and the distance covered so far by the narrative, the film is thus able to raise and leave the viewer with a pertinent question - are humans any more worthy, significant, relevant than perhaps a lost piece of luggage, awaiting to be delivered at its destination, and even then, to what end?

Lost Luggage | Short Film of the Day

The entirety of the narrative develops and concludes within the duration of an evening. The progression of events is kept abreast with the pace of the single-shot-film which introduces you to a couple about to head out for a celebratory dinner. However, what could have otherwise been a moment marked by joy and pleasure, is somehow overpowered by an undercurrent of tension, of something simmering right below the surface. All the information is revealed to the viewer in a controlled, but organic manner, allowing the story to flow smoothly and come into its own with control. The performances enhance it further, asserting in no equivocal terms that honesty, vulnerability and rawness of emotions is sometimes all that is needed to make a story work. Though the film could have gained from a better control on lighting, one is willing to accommodate it for the storytelling it offers, and the smooth visual flow of the developments. Additionally, there is a sense of intimacy and affection that is brought to life using the argument of its only two characters, who may disagree in the moment, but still have a common thread of a shared life tying and holding them together.

Argumento | Short Film of the Day

By its own admission, the film locates itself in the horror category of found footage. Consequently, when it opens with bright, sunlight-filled, cheery visuals of a group of friends heading out for a holiday, the juxtaposition works successfully to make the viewer sit up and pay attention. It is in this particular manner that the light and the general happiness of the scene becomes deeply disconcerting. Led by their friend Lauren to whose family the farm belongs, the four characters have arrived at a ranch that is abandoned and empty now. Along with the aforementioned contrast in the atmosphere of the story, the film also plays with its edit to constantly enforce the unease inherent to the narrative. The visual development, weaving of the scenes and camerawork employed to tell the story are all notable characteristics of the film, as are the performances. The progression of events, however, seems like it could have benefited from more time spent on each aspect, if they were allowed more room to stretch their limbs and come into their own organically. Overall, the film is an entertaining and engaging watch, marked by its dedication to storytelling and to keep its audience uncertain and concerned about the fate of the characters.

Camping Fun | Short Film Nominee

When Perspective first takes you into its world, you might find yourself entering a realm marked by a film noir quality, one where suspense and thrill lurk within. As it progresses, however, the film reveals itself to be a love letter written to cinema. It is a romance with visual storytelling, and the many ways in which the protagonist interacts with it.

 After a brief introduction to what is portrayed as a spy-like character, perhaps concealing some dark secrets of his own, we are next met with a film aficionado who takes great pleasure in losing himself to the world of visual narratives. Whether he is creating one, or consuming it, his devotion to it remains unwavering.

 The film endeavors to tie these elements together, while staying true to the premise it has invoked so far. The attempt is a dedicated and sincere one, leaving the door open for more storytelling and experimentation by the team with the various tools of cinema.

Perspective | Short Film Nominee

Two men oscillate between different activities; while one of them busies himself with his feeble and unsuccessful attempts at writing, the other is preoccupied with watching films and lighting up different smoking-related paraphernalia. Within its short duration, the film attempts to pack a complete punch that includes elements of the buddy film, comedy and action. The endeavor to achieve all of this is thus presented in the form of the final product to the viewer, almost attempting a narrative located inside a narrative, using the grammar of the film itself to show how another film is made by our two characters. It is at this juncture that comedy is overpowered by action. The treatment and approach of the narrative exhibits a freshness of thought. However, the subsequent result could have gained from a more organic pace, allowing the development of events before you more coherence, aiding the viewer's comprehension. On the whole, however, the film remains a fun ride to venture on, as our characters progress from one misadventure to another.

Tribe: The Making of Vice Cops | Short Film Nominee

Two men speak with each other over video call. The situation is mundane and harmless, and this sentiment is shared both by the viewer and one of the two characters. The other one, however, has a very different story to tell. He has been feeling unwell and uneasy for a while, and when he expresses the same to his friend, the reaction he gets is in tandem with the aforementioned mundaneness. 

However, at this juncture, the viewer is aware that something amiss has begun to make its presence felt, and yet, before they can affirm the same sentiment to themselves, the most crucial events of the narrative develop and conclude. 

The resultant story is one which borrows a little bit from POV horror, a little bit from found footage, to simply present to you a single moment in the form of an exchange between two friends. The film does not establish the hows and whys, but only serves to entertain for a brief few minutes. It is with this understanding that it can and should be approached and appreciated.

SHC: Freak Accident | Short Film Nominee

Here's a brief glimpse into a project of longer length that aims to combine humor and horror to bring to life a tale of blood-thirsty clamps. Yes, you read it right - clamps, and they are out for your blood (and more). The short video ropes in punches and kicks to conjure a world whose fate rests in the hands of a scientist, a police officer and a girl who is the first to encounter these deadly beings in this town. The narrative does not take itself too seriously as it introduces us to more victims, slowly leading us to the moment of the big reveal - when our trio figures out their most potent weapon against this gory onslaught - water. While the story is absurd and, perhaps because of it, entertaining, the colors and the lighting of the visuals show a want of closer attention. Overall, however, the trailer keeps you involved until its conclusion, leaving it up to the viewer to decide whether or not our chosen heroes would be up to the role of saving the world. As clamps and humans are pitted against one another, who would truly win this war of survival?

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