If the purpose of art is to disorient, this short film succeeds at it most brilliantly. With its disparate images which still somehow find a common link weaving them together, all thanks to its skilful narrative, Under Covers involves the viewer right from its very first opening visual. The film offers a heady cocktail of childish images and mature content that would leave the viewer baffled about what to make of the film, but in the most wonderful ways. From controversial to violent to simply disturbing - the images roll one after the other, invoking sexuality, religion, violence and the fear of the supernatural. On a night of a lunar eclipse, all that it simply does is delve into the lives and secrets of the inhabitants of a small town. As the surreal, dreamy transitions follow in quick successions, would you have the stomach for what it has in store for you?

Under Covers | Short Film of the Day

One of the most beautiful flights of fancies are born during the most mundane tasks, like taking the subway for your daily commute. However, translating these images on screen and ensuring that strength of their dreamy visions is not lost is no easy task. A Circle Line Train triumphs over the same obstacle most efficiently, leaving you with stunning visual storytelling. When coupled with a complementary voiceover, the world that is conjured for you truly makes one wonder - is this the real life, is this just fantasy? Inspired by the iconic Queen song, the film takes us into parallel realms that the protagonist, Zarah, inhabits - what is and what could have been. The powerful contrast brings to life a world of vast expanses of nature, the indomitable spirit of the same finding an echo in the existence that the protagonist herself leads, moving from one adventure to another, to places unseen, to dreams that were once unrealized and lovers that were once forgotten and unknown. Whether the duration of this journey is years, months or simply the few minutes of a train ride, it remains redundant, even if momentarily so. At the same time, if it is a world of limitless skies and oceans, it is also one of personal demons, addictions and a haunting past. It is amidst all of this that Zarah is located, and yet, the circle line train never meanders from its route, Zarah never forgets to open her eyes from the dream she was having, to carry on with her fixed path and way of life in the city of London.

A Circle Line Train | Short Film of the Day

‘Albacore’ is a lovely exploration of a woman’s struggle with everything that she once desired, and the hollowness of life, the ennui it entails, now that she has attained it. Water remains an ongoing metaphor throughout, after having being established in the image of a fish that the title conjures. The forward propulsion of the narrative is defined by the pursuit of the discomfort of a fish out of water, her desperate desire to find that release and perhaps an eventual return to it. 
The protagonist, though a laconic woman, is a force to be reckoned with. Her most meaningful conversations take place with another woman, a younger self of sorts, who is a reminder of a past that no longer exists. When all of these elements are weaved together, the result is engaging, and soulful. 
There’s further an inherent quietness to the film, and the isolation of vast, endless spaces, evident in its visuals, that further aid this communication of intentions, ensuring that 'Albacore' remains lucid and meaningful throughout.

Albacore | Short Film of the Day

Trigger warning: This video contains fast flashing images which might be unsuitable for photosensitive viewers. 

A lonely woman living a quiet life away from untapped potential, an empty mansion and an overbearing tragedy of the past - these three elements conjure the world of the film for you. The Duchess, a young woman who has dealt with traumatic loss right at the start of her life, one that casts an overwhelming shadow on her entire existence in the present, finds herself taking refuge in a world of fantasy and excesses. 

The film's true triumph lies in the path that it chooses to delineate its intentions. It opens with powerful, transitory and fast-paced images that set the mood and tone for what is to follow. We are presented with a suggestion of Ophelia, serpents, female figures running carefree in the woods, lying in a meadow of blossoms, and yet, a sense of darkness never truly leaves any of these images alone. 

As a colorful world is painted to step away from a monochromatic reality of grief, the film comes into being. Its voice remains unique and engaging, ensuring that this particular tale of a solitary Duchess stays with you long after you are done watching it.

The Duchess of Zion | Short Film of the Day

The film opens during a crucial night in Lucy and Banks’ lives. After having worked at a diner for many years and harboured a deep hatred for its griminess and everything else that it stands for, tonight is the night they burn it down to the ground and head for the mountains. As they prepare to tie up the loose ends before starting the life that awaits them, the entry of an unexpected character changes everything. 
Montgomery has driven long hours, eventually crashing his rental car outside the diner, to at last have the meal he has looked forward to, and some more. The ensuing exchange is marked by a characteristic outlandishness that imbues the film with notable texture. The storytelling becomes metaphorical as it talks of burning down something that holds you back from an ideal, or in the case of Lucy and Banks, an idyllic life. While the fate of all three of them hangs in the balance, the film further comes to be defined by a seamless visual progression, expert performances, and unlikely moments of humor that only serve to accentuate the skill and tonality of the end result.

Danny's Diner | Spotlight

‘Alice’ presents to us a protagonist in ribboned pigtails and a whimsical realm of tea parties, complete with miniatures modeled after dreams. In this world of daydreams, however, where is reality truly located? The question becomes central to the narrative as it engages with the idea of maladaptive daydreaming, and a world of escapism that relegates reality and its truths to a far lower rung. 
In an attempt to eschew the emptiness that follows when the illusion breaks, will the protagonist end up accentuating it even more? As this ironical reversal of events is explored, the music video presents a portrayal that is consistent and authentic in its approach and storytelling, supported by equally competent performances in terms of acting, vocals, and music. 
The two, visual and audio narratorial elements, intertwine seamlessly to introduce us to Alice, and her many interactions with a world that only exists in her imagination. While imagination and dreams may be mostly painted as integral parts of a life of creativity, as well as means to enrich existence, the narrative presents a crucial and skilled engagement with the pitfalls that can follow if they are left unchecked.

Alice | Short Film of the Day

The entirety of the film unfolds within the same physical space of a basketball court where the dribbling and scored baskets come to stand for the metaphorical dueling between Coach Pickle and his stepson and star player Mitch. Amidst the many rigorous moves, the resentful, bitter equation is laid bare for the viewer to witness in all its nuances and complications. 

The tussle between what one wishes to do and what one is forced to do is portrayed with sincerity. Both performances do justice to the screenplay and demands of the script. While sometimes the dramatic element threatens to border into the extreme, the film does eventually reign it back in, to eventually achieve a single, cohesive whole. 
 At the end of it all, ‘Tiny, Texas’ presents an uplifting story of perseverance, crucial battles, with the most formidable adversary - those we love, and sometimes even the self, and finally finding a way to never let go of a dream. 

Note: This short film is a proof-of-concept for a feature film of the same title shooting in March 2025.

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