Insightful, sharp and subtle are the three words that most aptly describe the documentary film and its subject matter. The execution is calm and exhibits a maturity that allows it to be an impactful product without demanding attention vociferously. The film engages with a needle exchange facility in California that also gives basic medical aid and assistance to those whose bodies have been affected by substance abuse. The narrative succeeds at being calm, yet deeply forceful in making its point simply because it does not strive for an overarching meaning for its existence, but instead tells its truth as it is. The subject is powerful, the story hard-hitting. The camerawork is simple, but precisely what this particular story needs. The images are chosen intelligently to allow the narrative to disconcert the viewer without being sensationally graphic. It further engages with health and survival with the right balance of being clinical and non-participatory, yet sensitive. Staying completely honest and sincere to a particular event or occurrence makes it all the more poignant and moving which is what The Clinic achieves most effortlessly. Through an objective representation of an aspect of the society we inhabit, it provides a meaningful narrative about life and existence.

The Clinic | Short Film of the Day

Eating clean and having experts and trained professionals aiding your workouts and journey towards a healthier lifestyle seems like a wholesome enough choice, won't you agree? Several of us might even be tempted to ask, "Where can I sign?". And yet, when the film presents us with the same proposition, it is far from comforting. 

The eponymous protagonist, who binge eats and plays video games, along with having a sedentary job that does not require him to move away from his desk, collapses while accepting a pizza delivery one day. When he wakes up, it is in a room which is in direct contrast with the life he had led so far. The dingy, dark corners of his cluttered living quarters are replaced by wide shots of a minimalist, white room. The latter set of visuals, however, instead of invoking calm, introduce to the narrative a deep unease. It's not simply the visuals which accentuate a contrast, but also the sentiment being conjured on screen - for instance, Alvin's feverish panic as opposed to the doctor's calmness. 

One by one, Alvin is introduced to more characters at this strange facility which has already taken the liberty of installing a micro-chip in his body. While a sense of disconcertment had been all pervasive so far, it finally becomes palpable and unsettling for the first time at this juncture. From an unfazed nurse to an enthusiastic doctor, everyone assures Alvin that he has nothing to worry about, but what truly lies behind these assurances and promises is the question that persistently looms overhead. It is sufficient to say that Christy Anna Wu proves her prowess in storytelling and weaving engaging narratives in no equivocal manner with this offering in Alvin. Her mind indeed is a dark place, and you would not want to be inside it. However, as for our protagonist, who has followed the prescribed diet of some repulsive smoothie-like drinks and exercised regularly, will all of this truly be his road to a healthier, happier life?

Alvin | Short Film Nominee

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

The succinct documentary takes us into a very moving, and compelling reality of a corner of the world that finds itself overwhelmed with political strife to the extent of drowning out several other voices, albeit each as worthy of being heard as the other. It introduces us to the battles of primarily the children and their parents who are born with a cleft lip and palate in Myanmar. 

 The issues are brought to life by way of two voices, both experts who worked towards fighting them in the Burmese capital of Nay Pyi Taw. The plot further paints the portrait of a hospital established in 2005, but still grappling with staff shortages. The political unrest that especially ravaged the nation in 2019 only served to make matters worse. Despite the many hurdles that obstruct the path of the stories of conflict-ridden territories, the film does its bit to make itself heard loud and clear.

 While the final result only offers a cause, devoid of its effect, perhaps even raising within you the want of a longer version of the current project, the simple endeavor to share this story is sufficient to triumph any similar predicaments that might arise in the viewer's mind. The narrative, in the process, brings to life a gripping and very relevant concern, without the usual traps of exploitation and sensationalization of misery. It presents to you a story that demands to be heard, to educate and raise a conversation that needs to be furthered.

The Last Bus to Nay Pyi Taw | Short Film of the Day

The dilemma of two brothers regarding a crucial decision about the life of a third family member comes to form the body of the short film. Their father, who battles a chronic illness, is reduced to a vegetative state in an expensive facility. As the brothers struggle with the financial and emotional implications of the situation, they decide to take matters in their own hands, and thus euthanasia enters the plot. Soon follow a series of most unexpected events, finally culminating into a shocking conclusion. The short film is a sincere effort to tell its story and employs notable camerawork, comedic moments and a zesty background score to enhance itself. The execution is marked with ease, albeit a few slips, allowing it all to come together in the form of a complete narrative. Assistance further raises a philosophical question about what it means to be alive - is it simply the absence of death? Along with this, it also offers an engagement with ideas of guilt as well as familial duties and what they truly come to mean for the two brothers.

Assistance | Short Film of the Day

Heels, whose history in mainstream society can be mapped back to the sixteenth century courts and male sartorial choices, have now become an indispensable parts of several women's wardrobe. Irrespective of practical concerns like pain and potentially adverse health effects, they remain a symbol of power, sexuality and confidence for innumerable women.

 The documentary film is an exhaustive engagement with the same premise. Its subjects are far and wide across the spectrum - from social media influencers, designers to entrepreneurs to television presenters to even medical experts like podiatrists and chiropractors. The narrative brings in several voices that elucidate not only the historical and cultural significance of heels, but also the health aspect and the manner in which accidents and injuries in heel-wearers is on the rise in the US. 

 The medical professionals draw attention to concerns like hip and back problems, osteoarthritis and joint degeneration. There is also a discussion of the cultural aspect of wearing heels that has convinced women over millennia to subscribe to a standard which, for some, is inherently sexist and justifies the relationship between pain and an imagined idea of external beauty. 

However, the same opinions are then contrasted against those women who have claimed the heels as their own special weapon against the world. What the documentary does in the process is stay true to its nature of objectivity, simply presenting to you the information it has gained without opining or choosing sides. 

 Despite the lucidity of the arguments being made for or against the case of heels, the views do run the danger of becoming repetitive. Consequently, the narrative could have gained from a little more tautness, of both the edit as well as of the ideas being expressed. Having said that, however, the viewer would enjoy interacting with the many voices that make their presence felt in the documentary, in a confident, definitive manner.

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