A painter finds himself overwhelmed by his memories and the past, which eventually begin to block his creative energies as well. It is primarily a conversation with these obstacles that come to form the main body of the film. Marked by its calm visuals, that effortlessly, and perhaps even consciously, steer clear of gaudiness and ostentation, the film thus becomes a quiet portrayal of a man's interactions with his grief over a seemingly recent loss. The film attempts several things - a delineation of an artist's process of creating something, the manner in which his past experiences tie up with it, the failure to let them find a voice on his canvas and the eternal battle to conquer them, both despite and because of personal tragedy. Pentimento, essentially aiming to convey the change an artist might make in the process of painting, achieves all of this through its seamless and elegant camerawork, further enhanced by sophisticated and convincing performances. All of these elements are finally tied together by poignant storytelling, allowing the film to be a wonderfully wholesome product.

Pentimento | Short Film of the Day

The short narrative, equipped with a unique voice, deeply engaging and unsettling at the same time, takes us into Quincy’s world and his harmless, but strangely dedicated eavesdropping on his elderly neighbor. 

Along with these events, there is also something deeply absurd that forms the hinterland of the film’s landscape - the unexplained and spontaneous combustion of people. Quincy’s world is hurled into chaos when his neighbor meets the same fate, leaving behind her dog, Matt. 

As a conversation is attempted on grieving, battling the inhibiting voices within, reconciling the arbitrariness of life and somehow making sense of a world that seems to be falling apart, the narrative forms an organic whole, presenting itself to the viewer to further interact with. Amidst it all, there is a generous smattering of comments on a culture that is consumed by consumerism, it’s distorted ideas of beauty, fitness and outward appearances, often taking the form of completely ridiculous suggestions from different parts of the world. The aforementioned ideas are allowed development with the employment of sophisticated camerawork and surrealist storytelling, ensuring that the film succeeds in making a lasting impression on the viewer.

Wait For the Dog | Short Film of the Day

The world of ‘Hypodermic’ is constructed meticulously, uniting a sense of endlessness associated with water, and the title's inherent suggestion of it finding a home beneath your skin. The background score too is chosen with care, ensuring that it enhances the story and narratorial progression in a significant manner. 

Isaiah, the protagonist, seems to be plagued by a nightmarish reality, an echo of his past that threatens to overpower his life in the present. Despite the attempts of a concerned girlfriend, he is unable to open up about what truly happened, battling, all by himself, the affliction that now casts a long, endless pall on his life. 

The story is involving and shocking, leading to a revelation that sustains the drama and suspense built so far. While it shows want of a little tightness in its progression towards the climax, the film manages to pull itself back in position by the conclusion, perhaps even leaving its realm with you long after you are done watching it.

Hypodermic | Short Film of the Day

The film is notably impactful in its brevity. The story is a powerful account of the overwhelming experience of a miscarriage that its protagonist, Margot has recently undergone. The subsequent narrative is not weighed down by verbal profusions of any kind. 

Instead, the palpability of emotions weaving the narrative together becomes the most overarching force, reducing everything else to the background. The writing, screenwriting, and performances all support this endeavor all the way, ensuring that the end result of the film is deeply moving and poignant. 

The realm of ‘Fly-Tipping’ is constructed with the utmost care, ensuring that it succeeds in communicating all of this and some more - what could have been had the pregnancy run its full course? What might have caused its abrupt termination? Would they have been good parents? As the two characters lie on the abandoned, bloodstained mattress in the middle of a field, the clouds continue to carry these questions and thoughts away into nothingness.

Fly-Tipping | Short Film of the Day

‘All Through the Night’ is a heartfelt exploration of a father-son relationship prima facie. However one requires only a slightly closer look to realize the myriad undercurrents that constitute it. The narrative invokes memory, a fraught relationship with the past, familial dynamics, and their potentially volatile nature. 

Neil has arrived at his childhood home for a farewell, one that is as inevitable as it is essential. His father Alexander, a former choir conductor, battles Alzheimer’s and is about to move to a health facility permanently. While trying to comprehend this rapidly disappearing relationship with his father, Neil finds himself looking back at his own memories of him, perhaps in a manner he had not done before. As precarious as the balance might be, a balance that holds the last vestiges of their equation, it is still tightly controlled and molded by a shared past, no matter how turbulent. Music, at last, becomes the common thread to tie it all together. Finally now, during a moment of goodbye, the two reach and inhabit the same plane, even if ever so briefly, suggests the narrative. 

Along with portraying a poignant story, the film also does a notable job of raising awareness about the illness itself, and the many ways Alzheimer’s affects families and carers. The writing, performances, visual progression, and background score, all aid this endeavor notably, allowing the film to come together with smoothness and ease.

All Through the Night  | Short Film of the Month

The film opens with a terrible development, the sudden and tragic death of Noah’s wife while doing the most mundane, ordinary task. When Noah continues to pretend like she never died and goes ahead with life as usual, the narrative swiftly changes in tonality and approach to present a story marked by the absurd, and in the process, the darkest humor. 

Though humor might have nestled itself within the circumstance, it is denial, grief, longing, and the resultant rejection of letting go that become the primary preoccupation of the film. The storytelling shows promise, prompting the possibility of a longer project of a similar tenor.

 
At the same time, the film’s brevity allows it to sustain itself, without losing its impact or becoming farcical. The employment of the fixed space, competent performances, and visual grammar ensure that it successfully communicates all of this in a lasting way, resounding its core message first established in the title.

All Things Must End.  | Short Film of the Month

Theo lives by himself and is not always super enthusiastic about social interaction, be it over the phone or attending an event with a friend. However, within this life of consciously chosen quiet, an unexpected development occurs one day when a pizza boy arrives with the order. 

Moments of tension which is later undercut, and humor are interweaved seamlessly to present the developing circumstance to the viewer. A conversation ensues between the two characters in the most effortless ways, leading the viewer, and more surprisingly, the protagonist, down some very unexpected paths. In the process, an intimate story of loss, grief, and notably, of shared love between two brothers, comes into existence. 
Never burdened with sentimentalism, the film’s emotional spectrum remains lucid and impactful throughout, ensuring that all its intentions are expressed and portrayed expertly. It is further marked by well-defined visual grammar and progression that bring Theo’s world, as well as his emotional landscape to life, with ease alongside the free-flowing chemistry of the two actors.

Me + Lee | Short Film of the Day

What would happen if Victor Frankenstein were to bring a monster to life in contemporary times, with access to modern technology, his research being part of an online course titled Cadaver Reanimation? The two would be called Frankie and Benny, to begin with. 

Our modern-day version is marked by a bonhomie, or at least the desire for it, instead of the cold repulsion of a creator from his monster. When Frankie brings his dead friend Benny to life, he realizes he has on his hands something very different from his dreams of a rekindled friendship. Instead, he now finds himself with an 'abomination', as he calls Benny himself, who is here to stay for life, and not simply for Christmas. 

The resultant narrative is marked by humor, but also, by the brutal aspects of existence and the human body that creep up on the viewer in the most unexpected ways. They make you flinch, but at the same time, also ensure that you cannot look away from this story of grief, guilt, friendship, loss, and the eventual circuitous path back to hope and companionship. The chemistry of actors, and the other crucial components of the film’s world - make-up, sound design, writing, visual grammar - all supplement the endeavor to ensure ‘Frankie and Benny’ becomes an endearing, entertaining narrative about the experiences of a shared bond between two friends.

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