The film is sci-fi, satire, surrealism and absurdity all thrown in together. The stuff of nightmares meets a strong commentary on society's fixation with outer appearances, and thus is born Caterpillarplasty. Now it should be clear at the onset that the film is not for those with a weak-stomach. It will disorient the viewer on several levels with its disconcerting elements, portrayed both as a suggestion as well as explicitly through the visuals and sound. As a proud consumer enters a spotlessly white and glossy establishment for treatments to enhance physical appearance, he is greeted by a attentive man with his unnaturally broad (and unforgettably wicked) grin and disturbingly neat appearance. The narrative further takes it satirical commentary ahead by revealing what it is that the protagonist truly wants and the extent to which he is willing to go to achieve it. While a massive establishment makes seemingly huge profits, evident by the size of their clientele, a patient here and there might struggle with medical complications. Convulsions in a person next to you? Of course the expert knows which concoction of chemicals to be pumped into their body to ease it, and then draw your attention away from it all. The film holds the mirror to a culture where the supremacy of outward beauty and looks reigns free. As lines between vanity and insanity blur, the film does its bit to adequately communicate to the viewer this particularly grotesque aspect of contemporary society.

Caterpillarplasty | Short Film of the Day

The title of the film is a wonderful prelude to what is to come - the delineation of the many aspects of a person's relationship with their hair, especially if they are fond of them. On the face of it, the story is a simple one - a little girl waking up on a special day, and excited about working on a favourite hairstyle. As she flips open an iPad, a video tutorial of the coiffure she has chosen awaits her. Soon, the father is also roped in into her struggle, accentuating the absence of her mother, leading the viewer to assume estrangement or a recent death. The narrative is effortlessly weaved, striking the right emotional chords with its audience, with just about the most balanced sprinkling of humour. However, it soon unfolds to reveal a darker reality, where a person's love for their hair comes to stand for several things - perhaps a battle with terminal illness, the road to recovery and eventual hope. It also represent's a woman's understanding of her beauty, with or without a beautiful mane, while also engaging with single parenting. Add to it a much needed, non-stereotypical portrayal of cats as being indifferent, but not devoid of affection as is in the case of the Satan spawns they are made out to be... and voila! The film becomes an endearing, touching and heartwarming experience.

Hair Love | Short Film of the Day

The world of the film is marked by its society's dual obsession - with beauty and with making an extra buck. It is a dystopic reality of a culture that is fixated on maintaining their youth eternally, no matter the cost. Consequently, when this leads to an incredibly lucrative opportunity for big corporations, or a spa facility in this case, all kinds of murkiness enters the picture. Even though the cost of youth is localised denervation, a process involving slow paralysis of the nerve endings in the body, people are unable to stay away from the very substance that leads to it. In fact, it is this specific process that they seek in order to reduce and prevent the appearance of wrinkles. 

The substance which is used to achieve the desired results is called Botulinum toxin A, which is not simply a source of Botox, but also one of the deadliest substances known to humankind in the absence of quantity control. In a world where simply releasing a teaspoon of it in the air could kill thousands of people, the viewer is taken into a narrative marked by animation reminiscent of the realm of a video-game. Further, it is the story of a town where a botulism outbreak has led to high levels of toxicity in the air. 

 Through all of these elements, the film aims to comment on several things - the exploitation of capitalist forces, the mindless obsession with making money leading to adulteration and putting innumerable lives at stake, unhealthy beauty standards and their consequences on the quality of existence. The film sets the premise, even though it does not follow it all the way through. There are several things it wants to say which, however, could have been communicated better with a final product of a longer length, something that allowed it to adopt a more detailed, insightful approach for each of them. On the whole, the film comes across as a sincere endeavour, but it would be welcoming to see a longer version of the same narrative, with more time spent on different aspects.

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