The film turns out to be the most comforting, warmth-inducing balm for a cold, scared heart. As Fran goes about life, unable to make the desire to die and end her life go away, she also finds herself taking fancy to a colleague. When she finds Robert reciprocate the attraction, their story develops in the most calm manner, exploiting its economy of dialogues to the fullest. Both Sarbh and Wright-Mead bring a softness to the screen that is not easy to come by. In a sense the story indeed is a romance, but it's also so much more. It is a story about isolation and what can be potentially seen as melancholia and suicidal tendencies. It is about the nervousness and the fuzzies of a first date, as much as its about the awkwardness of new lovers and a failure to communicate affection despite all desire to do so. Consequently, with its gentle handling of the subject, marked more by silences than any noise that could mar its simple yet loud and clear style, the film becomes a beautifully crafted, sincerely executed piece of art that brings to the screen an evocative sense of endearment and tenderness.

sometimes, i think about dying | Short Film of the Day

On the face of it, 'Rat Tail' is an intimate, brave, beautiful account of a person’s relationship with his hair. And yet, as the film evolves and progresses, and before the viewer can realize it, it takes us into a far darker world, eventually tying it all together with an uplifting, heartwarming message. If you have begun to wonder how could all of it be considered an organic, comprehensive or even an entertaining creative endeavor, read on. 

Filmmaker Chad Sogas employs an efficient, sophisticated edit, tied with seamless overlaps of voices from his own life, to present to you a personal account of his battles with mental illness. However, without making it didactic, overbearing or mawkish, all traps a pursuit of this kind can very easily fall into, he offers an uplifting story of hope, recovery and healing. Especially relevant in a world where the pandemic has left us with ravages of a time and existence we all struggled to cope with, the film comes at a very opportune time. 

One of many strengths of the film also becomes its ability to utilize a highly personal narrative in a manner that makes it extremely relatable and inclusive for the audience. Whether your struggles are of a similar nature or not as the protagonist, its enduring and indomitable sense of hope and acceptance will ensure that 'Rat Tail' works wonderfully on multiple levels. From storytelling to approach to narratorial progression, the film offers sophistication and smoothness in all departments, along with having its heart in the right place. After all, what is good art and storytelling, if not simply a reminder, fleeting as it might be, that perhaps we are all in this together?

Rat Tail | Short Film of the Month

Mental health has made significant inroads into our cinema and art, and this film goes ahead to prove the same. Potentially triggering for those who battle mental health issues on a regular basis, the film is a literal and metaphorical representation of a man's struggle to grapple with his own internal demons. As the protagonist tries to take transitory comfort in substance abuse and drown the voices in his head in alcohol, the film holds the potential of being relatable for several viewers in the same age group as him. The strongest aspects of Lost in Oblivion are definitely it's performance and camerawork, both working arduously to make the story work. Succeeding at it, the various elements of the narrative come together to invoke an urgent concern - the absolute need to acknowledge and address the mental health concerns of a huge part of contemporary society.

Lost in Oblivion | Short Film of the Day

The short film exhibits a unique idea, experimental storytelling and seamless editing. The story is of a man who is struggling to cope with the death of his wife, and finds himself taking refuge in revisiting a particular memory of her. The narrative opens with a quote that is a disturbing reiteration of the premise of the film - allowing yourself to be engulfed by a moment of pain to the extent of it turning into an addiction. This addiction, in the process, becomes the only source of joy the protagonist clings on to like his life depends on it, and perhaps, at an emotional and mental level, it does. Impossibility: Possibility invokes the cyclical nature of addiction, and how, despite the path of destruction it might potentially be leading the protagonist to, it has now become the sole reason of why he gets out of bed every morning. Further, it is an attempt to give a glimpse of the far-reaching consequences of the deep infestation of technology in our lives, while also engaging with a man's attempts to cope with loss, grief and a battle with mental illness. While technology might make even the most impossible tasks possible, are we prepared to face all that it truly entails?

Impossibility: Possibility| Short Film of the Day

The short film is undeniably beautiful in its eccentric and refreshing treatment of a topic that has been attempted an engagement with countless times, making the possibility of banal or lacklustre content around the same extremely likely. Dumps, on the other end, steers clears of this effortlessly and in a manner worthy of all your appreciation. The film opens with a black and white palette, instinctively placing things in neat categories for the viewer - of sadness and gloom, and other emotions that remain beyond the protagonist's reach. A note is left for 'dad' on the table as he progresses to the bathroom for the next step - his suicide. However, the most unexpected development ensures that things are completely thrown off-course, the neatness of the plan evaporating, as emotional complexities and nuances come to dominate the messy, wet scene of a toilet marked by a toaster, an overflowing bathtub, and well, the protagonist stuck to his toilet seat. While encouraging a conversation on mental health and suicide, the film also addresses patterns of self-sabotage that an individual might be subjecting themselves to, consciously or not. Tight close-ups, sophisticated comedic moments entwined with the darkness of the theme and a unique interaction and interpretation of mental health issues ensure that the narrative is tight, engrossing and impactful in the message it wants to communicate, along with allowing an enriching viewing experience to its audience.

Dumps | Short Film of the Day

The thematic concerns of ‘Beyond the Yard’ are complex and compelling. It is the story of a mother and her daughter who find themselves especially isolated from the rest of the world due to the ravages of mental illness. The former battles depression and hoarding tendencies, leaving very little space, literal and metaphorical, for her daughter’s existence. 

The aforementioned isolation, as well as a sense of emotional clutter, are portrayed using visuals of a house brimming with heaps of discarded things that now lie forgotten. These are coupled with vast outdoors where the daughter is simply an insignificant entity that can be overwhelmed by the emptiness around her any minute. 

Along with physical and emotional isolation, loneliness and despair, there is further a subversion of roles where the daughter has become the caretaker. Instead of being allowed a childhood and its effervescence, she has to fill in for the absentee adult in her life. The film endeavors all of this, and some more in its short duration. It would be preferable to see a longer, more slow-cooked version of its characters and their many dynamics for the story to truly come into its own.

Beyond The Yard | Short Film of the Day

Four women, dressed in all their finery, wait in a queue to attend the comeback concert of their favorite childhood icon. However, contrary to the celebratory atmosphere established so far, a very dark development lurks within the narrative - the sudden passing of the said icon as a result of overdosing. Shocked and traumatized in the wake of the accident, the four friends somehow stumble across the decision of ditching their own antidepressants cold turkey soon after. 

 As one can expect, the consequences cover an entire spectrum of emotions, reactions and uncomfortable situations, delicately put, for those who happen to cross their paths. By employing all of these events, the narrative does a notable job of tying an issue like mental health with humor in a skilled manner. This, in turn, allows the film to accentuate the significance of its message further.

 While the friendship and the relationships of the four characters find a fitting, endearing portrayal in the story, Withdrawals straddles serious concerns with lighthearted banter and situations that are entertaining and amusing, even if at the cost of its characters. Notwithstanding a few rough edges, the storytelling exhibits a unique personality, and potential, leaving one with the promise of more such projects by the team.

Withdrawals | Short Film Nominee

Bright blues, yellows and greens take us into the world of 'The Confidant'. The story of a homemaker, the film constructs for us a space that is lighthearted and cheery, and very much deceptively so. The direction and the eventual aim of the narrative is indeed far from that, drawing our attention to a very important social cause. However, before we delve into the darker realities, it is important to acquaint ourselves with the protagonist - a woman who exudes effervescence and a zest for life. Through the series of conversations she has with an unnamed, unknown person on her phone, we see the first hints of an existence marked by loneliness and isolation in a seemingly loveless marriage. It will be this very tone of emotional emptiness that will be echoed throughout, despite the visuals conveying otherwise. As these two contrasting realities - that of energy and bleakness - overlap, the final intention of the film is realized. The narrative reaches fruition, the plot is complete and the viewer is finally allowed the truth about the unnamed person who has been the protagonist's companion all along.

The Confidant | Short Film Nominee

Trigger Warning: Mental health, depression 

A conversation on mental health, depression in particular, the film endeavors to portray the intricacies of the protagonist's struggle with the disorder. This is further enhanced by the vulnerability he brings to life on screen, giving insightful glimpses into someone's experience of battling clinical depression. There are certain elements, like the voice of a mental health expert, which further provide a sense of validity to the film, allowing the plot to be educational and informative in nature. This also serves as a reminder for the viewer that depression, though more prevalent than we realize, can indeed be tackled with, and that reaching out and asking for help is the first step. The film definitely has vision, albeit marked by a few hits and misses in the seamlessness of its execution. However, it remains marked by emotion, an experimental approach to expression, strong attempt at poignancy and the will to say it all lucidly, ensuring that you look forward to future projects by the team.

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