Health advisories have never been more colorful and trippy (with the most fitting background music to go) than this short film. Employing humour as a device when contemporary global reality feels bleak beyond salvation, here is a wonderful reminder for you to keep your wits by yourself in times of Coronavirus and the consequent Covid-19 infection. As country after country finds itself enforcing a lockdown to contain this contagious virus, where else can we turn to for comfort if not art? Beyond the topicality of its subject, it also boasts of adept technique and skilled execution of the video. Attempting to have fun with mobile filmmaking, How to Survive a Pandemic entirely relies on dim-lit shots to weave and narrate its story with finesse. The camerawork deserves special mention for the intelligent way in which it brings a fresh breath of air to every visual. The story is primarily of a woman, who could potentially be any of us, watching the endless deluge of news on the pandemic. With every headline and new update, she seemingly finds herself sinking deeper into despair. However, before allowing the overwhelming sense of imminent doom get the better of her, she decides to turn things around and voila! She is soon sipping on a homemade concoction of the antidote. While we may have still not reached the same conclusion as our fictional protagonist, there is indeed a lesson or two in calmness and rationality to be picked along the way from her.

How to Survive a Pandemic | Short Film of the Day

The film locates itself in a reality we are all too familiar with, and then ties it with a bizarre premise. The beauty of this union, however, is the seamless manner in which the real and the ridiculous meet, leaving the viewer with the question — is it truly that bizarre to begin with? 

With the Covid-19 pandemic, also came the deluge of fake news of all kinds, gripping the world in a grasp sometimes tighter than of the virus itself. The film introduces us to one such instance where Tony, the protagonist, decides to choose a…fairly untraditional method, to say the least, to safeguard himself against an unnamed virus. 

As the events are realized on screen, the film offers a lighthearted take, though not without its suggestion of darkness, on self-medication, conspiracy theories and the effects of misinformation masquerading as facts, ensuring that their consumers end up incorporating the most absurd claims into their daily lives. The narrative does not waste a single beat, and employs each moment judiciously to bring the story to life. With a fun subversion of the words in its title, ‘Herd Immunity’ becomes an entertaining, intelligent ride marked by humor and ease of storytelling.

Herd Immunity  | Short Film of the Month

'Wuhan Driver' is a timely, and crucial story that speaks of the many faces of racism. Overt and insidious, intentional and unconscious, systemic and loudly enforced - racism has many forms, and the short film is a sincere endeavor in exploring them. 

Essentially the story of only one night when a driver attempts to turn up for his job, and execute the tasks that follow, the film proposes how when the same tasks are viewed through the lens of race, everything changes. How the rise of a virus in a part of the world across the globe is blamed on a man in the US simply because he looks a certain way or speaks differently. In the process, the absurdity of it all is pronounced emphatically and unequivocally by the narrative. 

The confined physical space of the visuals further echo this sense of isolation that surrounds the protagonist, someone in a space that refuses to accept him as its own. The film is an important story, and it is a very welcome prospect to look forward to more storytelling by Tiger Ji, as his voice evolves and grows to find its footing.

Wuhan Driver | Short Film of the Day

The coronavirus pandemic has introduced us to an isolation quite unprecedented in human history. While the adherence to the lockdown has brought with it financial tribulations and all sorts of practical difficulties, another huge hurdle to accompany it is that of the emotional well-being of a people who now find themselves devoid of the safety of a community they might have even taken for granted earlier. Distance bases itself on the same premise, endeavouring to be an exploration of not only the physical distance, an absolute must to combat the novel Covid-19 virus, but also the emotional distance we may find ourselves face to face with. In essence, our quarantine is not simply confined to physical boundaries, but has stretched its limbs to the mental and psychological aspects of our day-to-day lives as well. The film employs a straight narrative to suggest fighting the obstacles with kindness and by the simple act of reaching out to one another. It ties together the experiences of three different households, each dealing with their own set of problems as they grapple with an uncertainty with no end in sight, and finds a way to communicate its point of making their presence felt irrespective of their limited physical freedom. The visuals are sophisticated and smooth, exhibiting skilled camerawork. The film also manages to make efficient use of its limited resources and opportunities as a result of its adherence to the official health guidelines.

Distance | Short Film of the Day

It's Halloween when Emma and Olivia, equipped with matching cat hairbands, step out and head to a location in the darkness of the night. However, due to a mix-up, they end up on the wrong set of bleachers that sit silently in the shadows. This is followed by a realization that despite the desolation of the spot, they are not entirely alone. Soon the unwelcome presence makes himself known.

 While the women may have dismissed him after a cursory look, the viewer knows better by this point. Something sinister brews under the surface, waiting to reveal itself at the slightest provocation.

 As the story comes into being, it combines humor with horror to share its developments with you. It sprinkles the two emotions with ease, attempting to generate both laughs and chills, at the expense of the fateful turn of events unfolding before you. The narrative also goes the extra mile to locate itself very much in contemporary reality, deeply setting its roots in a circumstance we are all too familiar with by now, striving for a balance between between shivers and laughter all along. Notwithstanding a little want of polishing of the rough edges, the eventual outcome of the film is definitely notable, and makes one look forward to future projects by the team.

It's in the Air | Short Film Nominee

The introspection of a cat during isolation as a result of the coronavirus pandemic forms the focal point on which the narrative pivots. The mini-series weaves the story that rests at the heart of the battle against the global outbreak of the Covid-19 virus. Interestingly, it is from the point of view of a cat who is adorable in his laziness, and deeply endearing in his philosophical and existential ruminations. Following an introduction to the said house cat, Catvid-19 becomes a documentation of Mike's experiences and lived reality - capturing the most opportune moments of the kitty's life.
 
From lounging and napping to attempting to dig his way to freedom (well, until he feels sleepy enough for his next nap), from fighting potential foes from behind the glass window to losing his mind fantasizing about the life that once was - the plot offers an adept interaction with the internal workings of the cat's mind. The humour that is evoked at his expense is precisely what the viewer is here for, and Catvid-19 serves it to them most generously.
 
Now, Mike is an especially intense kitty. The fluffball's antics and appearance are in direct contrast with his heavy musings, helping to enhance the humour further, deliberately so, along with being smartly handled.
 
However, once the pandemic isolation ends and the kitty can go out in the world again, there is another interesting dynamic waiting for him as well as the viewer. Whether or not he likes the return to normalcy, where he can once again run into his peers is Mike's problem to solve. He steps out to find that now there are self-righteous ‘Covid babies’, born as a result of their parents isolating at home, to be dealt with.
 
There are also the consequences of an isolation that lasted a little too long, consequences that have changed friends and acquaintances that are waiting to confront our protagonist. And yet, amidst all of this, the series maintains its endearing tone throughout, despite the underlying circumstance of a pandemic that one might momentarily forget while watching Mike. As for those who have come along with him on his adventures, this peek into his life is sufficient to ease them of burdens of an existence that still faces an uncertain future.

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