When approaching a story of a mother and daughter and their day-to-day life, the first assumption about their familial space can often be fraught with anxiety or conflict. The world of 'Lavender', on the other hand, is far from it. It offers a loving mother, Fern, who always found joy in the small things, and her concerned, and equally loving daughter, Violet. However, a life of domesticity that could have been marked by perfection otherwise, is afflicted by illness. 

A realm of soft, diffused, lavender-tinged visuals is conjured to portray Fern’s reality for us, a mind that now lives in a realm of memories and days long gone by. The narrative also does its bit to talk about dementia and the many ways in which it affects not only the person battling it, but also their caregivers. 

While Fern and Violet’s equation might not be defined by interpersonal conflict, it is indeed defined by tribulations and obstacles of its own. The engagement with the same becomes the driving force of the plot, eventually leaving the viewer with a quiet story of love, loss and the entropy that can sometimes define human existence.

Lavender | Short Film Nominee

Florence is celebrating her sixtieth birthday with her family, but despite the celebration, a dark pall is cast on the moment. Right underneath the cheer, a dark development simmers, waiting to make its presence felt at the slightest provocation. Soon the viewer is introduced to the protagonist’s battle with dementia, and the many devastating and irrevocable ways in which it has begun to affect every aspect of her life. 

Despite the love and support of her two concerned children, Sarah and Matt, along with an important work project up her sleeve, one about composing music for a reinterpretation of a Russian fairy tale, Florence now finds herself battling a disease, a disconcerting reality that simply cannot be overcome. 

Through the many conversations that the narrative holds with its protagonist, and the metaphors that are conjured in the process, the film does more than its bit to raise awareness about not only the illness, but also how it affects the loved ones of those afflicted with it. The writing is sensitive, the performances dedicated and earnest. Consequently, the end result becomes a whole that educates, but also, presents its story with sincerity.

The Cleverest Thief | Short Film Nominee

The film is about Linda who battles a fatal medical condition called dysregulaphemia that has her days numbered. This purported reality, however, is in deliberate and direct contrast with the life that is conjured on screen. 

From early morning workouts in sleek facilities to social media updates (complete with awkward hashtags), the Linda we see before us is far from any physical frailty or weakness. Her former lover, Maddy, who has come to visit her from another city, shares our confusion and bafflement at this strange course of Linda’s life. 

The film develops to rope in moments of humor, as well as drama, to present a fraught character who finds herself struggling with the many challenges of adulthood, and thereby taking refuge in a fairytale of a sob story. The film’s voice, tonality, and performances all show deep potential. However, the film is impeded when it comes to narratorial progression which displays a little want of seamlessness. Nonetheless, because the storytelling shows promise, it should definitely be explored further in future projects.

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