Two unnamed characters sit knitting in the heart of a non-descript wilderness. There is nowhere they've come from, and there is nowhere they need to be, and there indeed is no Godot that they wait for. While one’s deft fingers move smoothly across the needles and yarn, the other’s struggles are endearing and amusing in equal measure. However, her sole companion is far from amused at her inexpertise and is more than quick to express her annoyance and dismay. 
The film weaves itself with a sense of effervescence and humor, and yet, undercuts the frivolity when you least expect it with a sudden, jarring image of violence. The union of the two sentiments, of ease and adroitness with struggle and overpowering difficulty, becomes a crucial image, handled with skill. The visual grammar is employed remarkably to paint this experimental, absurdist, colorful space for the viewer. 
While the scene before you can conjure several metaphors depending on the viewer, the film presents, in no equivocal manner, an uplifting moment of warmth and companionship, enhanced in its portrayal by the chemistry of the actors. An entire spectrum of emotions is intertwined into the pattern, as the title, one about a knitting technique, offers a heartwarming metaphor for everything that unfolds within the film right up to its conclusion.

K2 Tog | 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

‘Julian’ is a wonderfully entertaining exploration of familial dynamics. It presents a ridiculously bizarre circumstance, a woman deeply and delusionally in love with a fruit, to talk about one of the most universally common aspects of our social structures, conflicted sibling equations. 

Brynn is a seemingly successful pediatrician, in a healthy, supportive relationship. However, her loving partner is juxtaposed against Marlow, her “toxic”, by her own acceptance, sister. As the party of three meets for a reconciliation meal, things continue to get out of control in quick succession. 
The film is intelligent in its brevity, ensuring that the leanness of the narrative works in its favour, keeping you involved in the plight as well as the antics of its characters throughout. Additionally, the story has its heart in the right place, ensuring that it closes with an unexpected, but undeniable, sense of warmth and wholesomeness.

Julian | Short Film of the Month

From suspense to thrill to dark comedy to gore and body horror, 'Dredge' packs it all in a concise, brief manner. Other than the action that unfolds before you, the film is primarily a stringing together of conversations. A woman who is conducting seedy business with the 'Swiss' is deeply unhappy about her professional outcomes. With imminent financial woes as well as trouble with law enforcement, she is at the end of her road. 

On the other hand, the person who mows her lawn, is in a different kind of desperate situation, indeed triggered by her own respective work and money troubles. As this subtle parallel is drawn, the plot comes into being. The manner in which these pressures get expressed and articulated lead to two gruesome acts, each becoming the defining feature of the two women, allowing the film to express its intentions in a lucid manner. Additionally, there is an overlap of these stories with a third character, and a performance marked by clear skill and conviction, that ties the whole narrative together, while also allowing a bridge between its two predominant strands. 

The various elements further put a class hierarchy in place, while at the same time, offering a comment on the disastrous results that are born out of a desperate bid to survive. It is precisely these aspects of the storytelling that, despite a few rough edges in the handling of its visuals, eventually ensure that the film presents a composite whole to the audience to interact with.

Dredge | Short Film Nominee

‘The Donut’ is a story that not only operates but also thrives and soars within an absurd dark comedy space. The film is about a single exchange between two men over a donut. However underneath it rests a simmering emotional situation, about to overflow and spill all over any minute. 

One character has got the other a donut and is now completely preoccupied with the anxiety of ensuring it gets eaten. The performances and the ensuing chemistry bring this circumstance to life in an entertaining, amusing manner. It is only some snags in terms of the overall production value, especially relating to sound, which if ironed out in the future, can help an endeavor of this kind achieve more than it already has. 
The screenplay and narrative both exhibit engaging storytelling and notable potential, two aspects that should definitely be expanded upon in more projects.

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