Right at the onset, with simply its title, the film sets the tone for several ideas pertaining to identity, beauty, and how we perceive ourselves, while also hinting at insecurities. 'Mirror' does not present a straightforward approach to these ideas, and instead, leaves it up to the viewer to make what they will of this tale which is marked by humor, unexpected moments of tension, and the plight of the protagonist amidst it all. 

Strange messages have been appearing on people’s mirrors all over the world, messages of encouragement, validation, and support. And yet, Dale’s message is far from that, it’s more of an attack on his personality. As he grapples with its meaning, the story takes the viewer down some very interesting paths. 

Is the film about Dale’s struggle with intimacy, and how he eventually overcomes it in an unexpected manner? Or is it a story of his deep unease with his own body, and its desires and wants, not without its undercurrents of homoeroticism, and is it only when he is able to make peace with all of it that a negative message finds a positive articulation in his life as well as the film? Or is it about none of this but an underlying threat of violence that takes him to a disconcerting corner, to an experience that he has sanitized for worldly consumption, giving people what they want to hear? 

The film raises all of these questions and answers none, and it is in these grey areas that it attains completion and becomes an entertaining, involving endeavor in storytelling.

Mirror | Short Film of the Month

The world of the film is seductive, alluring, but surreptitiously so. It is a world where women run their own metaphorical 'club', echoing in its title a subversion of the 'boys ' club' of our contemporary reality. However, the reality they conjure for the men involved is no less horrifying for it involves women eating their male counterparts after having sex with them, quite literally. 

When seventeen-year-old Zack gets asked out on a date by a much older woman, he is immediately surrounded by a charge of well-meaning men, spearheaded by Moe, who attempt to talk him out of it. There are Bachelors Anonymous meetings, cries of celibacy and the outright rejection of the violence inflicted by women on men in the pursuit of convincing Zack to cancel his date. However the desire for love, intimacy and hope remains triumphant over all fears and doubts for our meek, wide-eyed protagonist. 

The dark comedy holds back no punches in sharing its ideas on misogyny, patriarchy and the power dynamics of heteronormative equations, providing an insightful social commentary in the process. And yet, it never veers off its course of a dark comedy, eschewing refuge in an overbearing or didactic tone, thereby making its messaging more impactful. As for the characters and their fate, while the men may have already painted a picture of women and their evil nature for Zack (a part of the fictive narrative which holds disturbingly true for the real world as well), would he eventually find love, or simply another predator awaiting to devour its prey?

Mantis Club | Short Film of the Month

The title of the show sets the premise - the misadventures of a bunch of adults trying to find their way in the world. From dating to religious inclinations to sexual fetishes to health problems, the show encompasses it all and more. For instance, the first episode is a hilarious and expert handling of a man’s mid-life crisis. However, it does not simply put its writing and script in the age-old category of humor and moves on. Instead it portrays what it means for a high school teacher to be unable to accept where he finds himself located at this particular stage of his life. Attempting to invoke and pique the interest of his students in Victor Frankenstein’s monster, perhaps a character who echoes his own isolation and inability to fit in, he instead finds himself trying to imitate them in a bid to perhaps add some colour to his life. From being in a band to buying the same clothing as his students, from looking to date younger women to turning up for the date distinctly dressed in a manner that can potentially turn out to be disastrous - he tries it all and fails at it most miserably. The narrative succeeds at generating humor at the expense of the character, while also garnering sympathy for him. In the process, it becomes a well-rounded portrayal of a man’s struggle to come to terms with what he perceives as a dull, mediocre life. Similarly, the other situations the series explores with its varied characters are sometimes relatable, sometimes plain absurd, using the freedom allowed to the genre of comedy, but never not entertaining and engaging. As different characters negotiate their location in society, there are overlaps and crisscrossing of paths. Essentially, what Fully Formed Adults does is provide brief and succinct capsules of amusement and laughter. The length is just right to stoke the viewer's curiosity, involve them in the narrative, eventually concluding with a satisfying tying of ends. The singularity of the concerns of each character is not unfamiliar, but delineated in a way that gives a fresh spin to the story. Its progression involves moving from one aspect of contemporary lifestyles to another, and includes a lighthearted commentary by its characters on social media, smartphones, Judaism, atheism, Woody Allen, the internet's fixation with other people's pets, to name a few. If you happen to stumble across the series, sit back and enjoy this bizarre ride of eccentricities that never has a dull moment.

Fully Formed Adults

Nicholas is a man who spends most of his time with his many gadgets. From VR games to smartphones to recording videos for the internet - his days are completely consumed by the many contraptions of technology, and related activities. However, he does indeed seek a connection with another person. Loneliness and the desire for love quietly nestle themselves within the plot. 

Once again, Nicholas turns to technology to solve this problem, signing up for a dating app that will set him up with a potential partner based on a questionnaire he is soon presented with. Humor is woven into the narrative with the absolute contrast between the life Nicholas leads and the one he pretends to lead when faced with these questions. 

In the process, a lighthearted story comes into being, sometimes a little endearing, sometimes heartwarming as Nicholas heads out to meet his date. A crucial message of the film, one about the absolute significance of connections in our lives, is thus presented through what unfolds next. The resultant screenplay, performances, and plot development keep the viewer engaged all along. It would be interesting to develop the film as a longer project in the future, allowing its ideas and intentions better elucidation.

Mimesis | Short Film of the Day

David Crawford is a man on a mission - he is out to comprehend the dynamics of online dating in his investigative documentary. The small (and mostly indifferent) crew consists of a duo of two others - a cameraperson, and a pregnant woman who's simply glad to have received a professional gig despite the pandemic-stricken bleak reality of contemporary times. Now, Crawford a fan of the show Succession, has a vision marked by poetic grandeur, and lofty ambition to achieve it all - but on a budget. As the film progresses, the viewer finds their protagonist to be strange, but entertaining, along with being a combination of endearing and obnoxious at the same time. While he moves from one attempt to shoot his documentary to another, the dissonance between the images in his head and the truth of his lived reality offer the perfect contrast to amuse the viewer. All the punches land efficiently, generating laughter in the most unexpected ways at the expense of our fumbling protagonist. Soon enough the film becomes a conversation with his own aspirations and uncertainties, and less about the subject of online dating as a broader category, and deliberately so, further drawing the viewer's attention to how his idea of the self overwhelms any other understanding that he may have had of the world around him. Additionally, this world around him is also brought to life with ease and conviction, allowing the film to effortlessly achieve all that it has set out to.

Now Time With David Crawford | Short Film of the Day

A man and woman sit across the table from each other on a date. The woman is clearly uneasy in the circumstance, not really enjoying the manner in which the conversation is unfolding. The situation is plain and direct, and yet, before the viewer can conclude it thus, the most strange development occurs within the plot - the presence of an unexplained television set that haunts the protagonist. 
 
Alongside this seemingly omnipresent entity, Meg’s love life moves ahead, but not in a direction desired by her. After several attempts to avoid her date’s calls, she reluctantly agrees to meet him again, while the foreboding presence of the screen continues to become more overwhelming. 

Whether you want to read the narrative as a parable of modern day dating, insecurities, acceptance and identity, or a woman’s inability to say no, or of a person seeking comfort outside heteronormative structures, it could perhaps mean all or none of them. Consequently, if one were to attach their own meaning to each symbol and metaphor, ‘Loom’ would be a difficult film to unpack, and thus, it should be consumed as the surreal ride it is, marked not only by elements of sci-fi and psychological horror, but also the absurd when you least expect it.

Loom | Short Film of the Day

Of the many phrases and phenomenon that have surfaced from the world of dating in the last couple of years, 'ghosting' remains an oft discussed entity. Using it as a starting point for the viewer's introduction to its premise, Ghost Me portrays the story of a single night when Kat and Joe meet for a cozy, intimate date. And yet, amidst wine and flirtatious banter, the most unexpected revelation awaits Joe. The seemingly cheery house of his date is haunted, and by multiple ghosts indeed. 

 The audience's surprise and uncertainty with the direction the evening is now headed in finds a reflection in Joe's reaction as well. However, instead of getting daunted by this new piece of information, he chooses to give the idea of a potential relationship with Kat a chance. 

 The narrative that thus develops exhibits a dedication to storytelling, employing jump scares, but steering clear of the usual traps of the approach that may weigh down an endeavor of the kind. As it intermingles horror with humor, at the heart of the plot rests a metal, floral box, with its dainty aesthetic in synchronization with the rest of the apartment. It contains secrets the unearthing of which will pack a shocking climax for the viewer, and also the answer about the conclusion of this strange, potentially fateful night.

Ghost Me | Short Film of the Day

The world has battled the coronavirus pandemic desperately and long enough to make the phrase 'the new normal' more than just a simple, oft-repeated set of words. The short film takes the same thought a step further to imagine a reality after about a year since March 2020 to bring to life a perfectly average, mundane occurrence, but in a post-Covid world. Now, this is a time marked by detailed health measures and palm-sized devices that update the user on-the-go about their body temperature. These little touches and elements allow the story to be complete with humour, and a sense of absurdity which now simply seems part of contemporary social norms. A man and a woman meet at a bar. However, since the world is already afflicted with enough complications, especially marring the dynamics and equations of dating, they waste no time in getting to the point. And yet, irrespective of one's desire for companionship, safety and health remain paramount. Thus ensues a detailed exchange of information as being safe on a date acquires a whole new meaning in a society that is only just coming out of a pandemic. The film remains entertaining and engaging throughout, enhanced with energy and verve that is also translated in the chemistry of its only two actors, and the intimacy it strives for with a generous use of handheld shots.

The New Normal | Short Film Nominee

In a patriarchal world, harassment and more serious instances of assault on women are often normalized both for and by women to a disturbing extent. It is precisely for this reason a woman in the film finds herself capable of mentioning a terrible experience from her recent past to a current date, simply as a passing, flippant comment. When the information is shared right on the heels of a sexual encounter, it alters things significantly for the man, leaving him uncertain about the decisions he should make next. 

 The film is a compelling conversation on the very pertinent issue of consent and the location of women in heteronormative sexual encounters. It exhibits a genuine and relevant engagement with the thought, handling the aftermath of such an incident in a sensitive and intelligent manner. 

 Additionally, there is also the attempt to explore the male experience vis-a-vis a deeply traumatic event in a woman's life that can leave him shaken and unsure of how to comprehend his own emotions which could be anything from a complete disavowal of responsibility to guilt, concern and accountability. Sí introduces us to a crucial moment one night, presenting the viewer with important propositions for them to tackle on their own. Having said that, it would be interesting to see the film's premise developed further in a longer project or in subsequent parts of the short film.

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