It is Halloween, the festive, carnivalesque spirit has begun to stretch out its limbs and before you know, three drunk men are lugging a metal post box-esque contraption across the corner of a street. Minor acts of vandalism are not stuff of nightmares, but this specific object soon becomes the MacGuffin of ‘Wastelanders’, propelling an unsuspecting man’s life into absolute chaos. 
 

As wonderfully bizarre as it sounds, this is the premise of the film, a complete punch of crime, action, thrill, all neatly packed within a few minutes. 

A drunken night with his friends has left Adam in possession of this mailbox that now needs to be taken care of. However, in the process, some important paperwork is also discarded with it. When Adam returns to retrieve it, a terrible development awaits him, and he gets swooped up in the rigmarole of a violent, criminal act that is threatening to run out of control. 

The consistency of the world conjured with the storytelling and characters, suffice to say, exhibits finesse in execution, approach and tonality. Despite the simultaneous development of the several events, the film upholds the lucidity of its plot, ensuring that the viewer is equally invested in each of these events. 'Wastelanders' is a well-handled film, leaving one with the prospect of more such storytelling by Patryk Terelak and Rockwell White.

Wastelanders  | Short Film of the Month

Who doesn’t love an alternate take on history, one that asks of you what it could have been had the world launched itself into a nuclear war in the 1980s? The short film employs the question as its premise, and explores the 1983 Soviet nuclear false alarm incident, presenting to you a situation where things are escalating in a manner far from how they progressed in the real world. 

The result is an entertaining, humorous and engaging story about the chaos that unfolds inside a Soviet communication bunker. Officer Krovolov and his intern Vlad are presented with a high-stakes circumstance, and thus begins their misadventure of accidentally launching Soviet missiles in retaliation to a false US threat. As the duo tries to figure out the mess at hand, the smug, self-assured officer, along with his sincere subordinate, finds himself getting entangled with a high-strung Moscow office, and a drawly, indifferent US official. 

The many antics are tied together as a whole that is lean and efficient in the space and the cast it utilizes, all along keeping the viewer engrossed in the fate of the characters, and of the world they are located in.

Order 27 | Short Film of the Day

The film takes the viewer into the highly thrilling world of the Milk Box Girls, the skiing trio that is on their unstoppable path of taming one snow-covered slope after another. The realm of ‘Con Artist’ is constituted by the most exhilarating and skilfully crafted visuals of the outdoors, interspersed with the con that the characters execute within this experimental narrative. 

Be it adventure sports or the heist unfolding before us, the characters simply refuse to give up. In the process, the subsequent story and plot become one about the indomitable human spirit, but more importantly, the inspiration and the motivation that the film carries for young girls. The slopes, and the darkness of the night parallel to it, become metaphors for the internal doubts and struggles perhaps that women often have to contend with in not only the world of adventure sport but in any and all fields whatsoever. 

The approach to storytelling remains devoid of any dialogue, more in the realm of obscurity than lucidity, communicating all action and drama through the intelligently crafted visuals on screen. It further eschews a traditionally structured plot while portraying a journey of courage, and invincible perseverance.

Con Artist | Short Film Nominee

A young intern has arrived at a new facility. As she is given a brief tour, being informed of her tasks, a wonderful world of all kinds of paraphernalia is invoked for both the protagonist as well as the viewer. In the process, however, she is informed to stay away from a specific object, an instruction she would of course go ahead to disobey. 

The rule gets broken, an inter-dimensional portal opens up and a realm of smooth special effects is then invoked for the viewer. Along with action and fantasy, and being a special treat for Star Wars fans, the narrative also attempts to rope in drama and humor to further share its plot. 

The final result becomes a fun and sweet story about lightsabers and stakes that remain staggeringly high throughout, all along attempting to entertain and engage the viewer. At its close, the many elements are tied together with a sense of hope and uplifting warmth that the film intends to eventually leave the audience with.

Rise of the Last Intern | Short Film Nominee

Private investigators Mark Johnson and John Markson have long held dreams of becoming police officers solving crimes and helping those in need. Their reality, however, is far from that as they execute one inane task after another. From looking for dogs that are already dead to helping teenaged boys ascertain the birthday presents their father will get for them, Mark and John's life is not as adventurous as they would have preferred. Consequently, they have very little awareness of how quickly all of this is going to change. 

 As Mark gets abducted, John is forced to break out of his drunken stupor to go on a wild goose chase to save his partner and friend. The narrative develops to rope in elements of a buddy film, draw punches (albeit a little too graphic sometimes for those with a weak stomach) that achieve their target, all along generating laughs at the expense of our hapless characters. 

 John is a man on a mission who will leave (almost) no stone unturned in saving Mark, barring a small episode of forgetfulness. Now that he is set on his goal, could it be thus that the abductors are more in peril than Mark himself? The answer, and all its unexpected ramifications, lie in the film's conclusion.

Case Closed | Short Film Nominee

Packed with high-paced action within a crisp narrative of only a few minutes, the short film presents to you a moment in time, without explicitly mentioning the events that preceded it or the chaos which is just about to succeed it. And yet, a lucid picture is conjured in the viewer's mind which gives them a cohesive understanding of the circumstances at hand. Two brothers, Kevin and Liam, have abducted a man and are holding him hostage in a desperate attempt to put a lid on some seedy arrangement involving money. Amidst the intensity of the situation, humour is allowed an unexpected entry in the form of bickering between the two characters over, as one would have it, a bar of Twix. However inane it might appear superficially, this is precisely the object which would explain the title of the film, as well as become the very thing on which matters of life and death would come to pivot. The energy of the taut narrative never dips, keeping you involved till the very conclusion. As the characters try to find a way out of the sticky situation they have landed themselves in, there is also a comment to be made about the progress of their relationship alongside it. Additionally, the chemistry between the actors is especially notable, elevating the film further, and allowing it to be an entertaining, fun, quirky product on the whole.

Blood Sugar | Short Film of the Day

Bacillus takes us into a reality we are all too familiar with, specifically in contemporary times - the outbreak of a virus. Within the universe of the story, as is also true of the world that extends beyond the fictive space of the film, while some are inclined to take precautions to safeguard themselves, others are still cynical about the true extent of the damage it can cause. The two contrasting opinions are communicated by way of a conversation between two brothers, playing out against the muted visuals of the narrative. While keeping its characters unaware of the fateful events that await them right around the corner, the film allows a sense of foreboding to the viewer. We realise before the duo on screen that something is deeply amiss. When the manifestation of the virus finally arrives, will it be too late for them? The film does a notable job of employing its limited resources, while also exhibiting the potential of primarily a four-member-cast and crew. The action sequence that marks the climax and the conclusion of the narrative further displays a sincerity and dedication to performance, successfully tapping into the high moment of energy the film has led the viewer to all along.

Bacillus | Short Film of the Day

‘Monster Mayhem’ stays very true to its title and offers a riot of events and emotions in its brief duration. Three people are under attack by a monstrous being, and as they take temporary shelter behind a vehicle, they struggle to take him down with a volley of attack. As each attack backfires, offering them absolutely no protection or force against their rival, the film presents its world to you - entertaining, parodical, funny and never taking itself too seriously. 
The film is an enjoyable ride when interacted with the same approach in mind. It would definitely be interesting to see it expanded into a longer project, provided it is able to sustain its tone.

Monster Mayhem | 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.

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