Sexual encounters and the awkwardness of first times are no new subjects or thematic concerns for a short film, and neither are stories of queer characters, slowly making their presence felt more and more with every passing day. However combining both to talk about the newness of a sexual experience between two characters who don't conform to heteronormativity, without falling prey to the trap of glorifying it or imbuing it with a tone of tragedy, is indeed a unique approach of crafting a narrative. It is precisely in this manner that Dirty infuses a fresh breath of air in the storytelling space by exploring a mundane reality, one unfortunately not engaged with enough, and simply presenting it forth without ostentation or unnecessary emotional devices. Consequently, the film's concerns are not positioned using the self and the 'Other' binary, or juxtaposed by employing heterosexuality against homosexuality, or by pivoting the plot on any such contrast. Instead, it takes the viewer into an encounter of two young queer high-school students, one more inexperienced than the other, and the hesitation, confusion, and an unexpected situation that ensues thereafter. Additionally, it is this dedication and meticulous attention by a story to its intentions that allow it a universality and authenticity, as Dirty goes ahead to exhibit. It is also in this that lies the normalisation of a situation without ever explicitly spelling it out.

Dirty | Short Film of The Day

‘Brilliance’, marked by unmissable poetic and surrealist qualities, is simply a story of two high-school girls. However, it’s the treatment and portrayal of the said narrative that truly elevates it. 
The girls, aspiring painters and artists, while discussing their approach to art and linked goals, present metaphors that become the heart of the story. As they discuss self-portraits, and the revelations that they carry within, the characters speak of the many ways they are being stopped, or will eventually be stopped, from painting all that they desire. The question that then propels the narrative forward is that will they also be stopped from loving who they want, and as they want? 

It is in the implicit nature of this thought, loaded and moulded by uncertainty and chaos, that the act of painting becomes a metaphor for love. The ideas are further coupled with a beautiful background score, and heartfelt performances that thus bring the narrative home in a seamless manner.

Brilliance | Short Film of the Day

The short film is honest and intimate enough to make the viewer feel inadequate at their unwitting peaking into the private life of its two characters. The plot is simple and is told with a deeply impressive sense of sincerity. A couple wakes up one morning in bed, and after a failed attempt at sex, a fight ensues. The performance by Jen Tullock is definitely one of the most remarkable things about the narrative, along with the judicious use of space. The entire drama of the film unfolds within a small studio apartment. The camerawork is smooth and effortless, almost making the viewer forget that they are not actually physically present with the characters. Add to it a convincing chemistry and an expertly told story by director Joey Ally, and the film becomes a well-rounded, balanced piece of cinema sure to be worth the viewer's time and attention.

Partners | Short Film of the Day

The title of the film, the very first step that you take into its universe, suggests a sense of fluidity. Consequently, when we are introduced to the 24-year-old Marsh who struggles with his feelings for another man in the closeted society of the eighties USA, it seems like the next logical progression. The narrative establishes a quiet tone and pace for itself right at the start, a calmness that would consistently pervade and mould the rest of the film. Along with the organic pacing, the manner in which the discomfort of a queer man, and his anxieties are brought to life in an uptight world, are handled with elegance while, at the same, raising the question - why specifically was this time period chosen to locate Marsh in?

<h2>Director and writer David Lykes Keenan describes it lucidly when he says, "The real story that inspired the film took place in the 80s shortly after I moved to Austin (Texas, USA). Fortunately, the tennis center where it all happened hasn't changed much in 40 years so we shot a lot of the film there. Another important thing to remember is that there was no Internet in those days, no Facebook to search for people, literally no way to meet or contact someone you didn't know and had no way to find." 

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/pU1gbDDl.png" /> 

"I don't think this story would work in modern times. My meeting Rich (on whom the character of Rivers is modelled) that night was pure chance. It was one of the most exciting moments of my life. Thrilling even." </h2>

Keenan's own personal experience of an unexpected encounter with someone, who would later go ahead to become an invaluable friend, found its way into the film and constituted the focal point on which the plot pivots. <h2>"In real life, Rich and I went on to become best of friends. He was the first person that ever knew that I was gay. As it turned out, Rich wasn't. Our friendship was massively bittersweet for me as I learned how heartbreaking unrequited love can be. But looking back, I wouldn't change a thing", adds the director.</h2> It is the same sense of emotional complexity and nuance that Ellar Coltrane brings to their portrayal of Marsh. There is a vulnerability about Marsh which is moving to the extent of making one feel protective of a character who does not subscribe to heteronormativity, has no one to share his experience with, and yet, is fully aware of his desires. At the same time, he exudes a sense of hopefulness about overcoming his inhibitions one day and going after what he truly wants. <img src="https://i.imgur.com/7Dj4Uo3l.png" /> 

Keenan agrees with the presence of this sense of hope in his film for more reasons than one. 
Firstly, it is an echo of his own dreamlike experience that gets translated on screen. Secondly, where would life, or even art, truly be without hope to tie it all together? <h2>"I had seen Rich at the tennis center on a few occasions before so I knew he went there. I would go up on the top of the clubhouse where one can see all of the courts, just as Marsh does in the film, to look for him. Hoping against hope that maybe, just maybe, a dream might come true. Ellar played it beautifully. I am so incredibly proud of their performance".</h2> 

Keenan further asserts, "A life without hope is unbearable", also allowing the thought to find its way into the film's ending which can be interpreted as being deeply hopeful for the viewer who chooses to see it thus. 


However, to tell a queer story that is located in the eighties, hope is not the first sentiment one might reach for. And yet, 'Bodies of Water' finds its way to the precise emotion. Keenan adds that it was his intention to leave the conclusion open-ended. <h2> "What was on the slip of paper that Marsh read at the end? I wanted the viewer to imagine what it might be", he says. </h2> We might never know the details of the note left for Marsh, but, on the brighter side, it has written on it exactly what you want it to be, or taking it a step further, how you want to believe Marsh' story ended. Would it then be erroneous to accept that perhaps, even if only briefly, our protagonist is allowed a moment of the love and acceptance he seeks?

Bodies of Water | Short Film of the Month

While romance per se might seem like a go-to subject when it comes to filmmaking, truly capturing its essence is not the easiest task. Weaving a narrative with nuances, subtleties and poignance requires a skilfulness which Lavender exhibits. The story of a young boy getting involved in the marriage of an older couple in itself is a premise that requires mature and intelligent handling, which this film succeeds at achieving. It opens with a tight shot of a couple sitting at a piano, the perfect picture of love and affection. However, soon the idea of the normative, monogamous couple is disrupted by a third man who joins them, yet the scene continues in the most calm and undisturbed manner. Through its delineation of the equation of the three lovers, the film attempts a moving exploration of sexuality, emotions and boundaries, allowing it to be a quiet embrace for the viewer whose warmth and scent continues to linger long after it's passed and over.

Lavender | Short Film of the Day

The world of the music video is powerful and remarkable. It paints a space of fluidity, and creativity which is then tied together by a voice that refuses to be diminished. Employing silhouettes and ease of movement, brought to life most beautifully by the charge led by Bernie Van Tiel (BVT), the video endeavors to present a moment embedded in Filipinx roots and culture. 
‘Lalaki’ shares a glimpse into a realm that boldly identifies itself with dance, music and words that are left with the viewer long after they are done listening to them. The brevity inherent to a music video works beautifully in its favor, ensuring all ideas are delineated without making the narrative overbearing. 

Further, the storytelling operates predominantly within the space of symbolism, with each image presenting an important metaphor about identity and belonging. As a community’s ethos is presented to you by way of an impactful end result, the video is taken home as a cohesive whole.

Lalaki | BVT | Short Film of the Day

There is a lot to be said about the effortless, endearing (even if marked by disconcerting emotions and tension) chemistry of the only two actors of the film. The film captures simply a moment ahead of a weekend getaway. As Tyler prepares to leave for a trip, his flatmate Luke, hovers around to share some crucial bits of information about his love life, information that is about to change the course of their relationship in a lasting manner. 

The dialog ensures that the flow of the conversation is seamless, further strengthened by the performances that bring it to life. It allows a lucid portrayal of the many undercurrents that constitute the circumstance at hand. The viewer finds themselves part of the ride as much as Tyler and Luke at every step. 

Additionally, the visuals use the physical space judiciously, with an efficient use of hand-held, tight frames to mark the building tension. Even if you are able to preempt the final punch the narrative has to offer, the overall result of the film remains authentic, entertaining and deeply engaging.

Love You Tyler | Short Film of the Day

The world of The Paranormal Communicator is most fun and entertaining. Despite the potentially gruesome aspects that constitute it, namely, murder, violence and a haunting, it remains a realm you find yourself heading deeper and deeper into. The characters are endearing, and sure to stay with you after you are done watching the film. 

Michael (Michael Benjamin), a medium for spirits, visits Veronica to help her in the aftermath of her brother’s demise. After an awkward introduction, the former more awkward than the latter, the two lead the viewer by the hand into the heart of things. 

The humor which is invoked in the process, remains smooth and effortless. The plot, that is based on characters made famous by Benjamin on TikTok, is engaging throughout. Consequently, the film presents to you a story which does not seem to take itself too seriously, and yet ensures that all the punches land. The endeavor is sincere and devoted, and leaves one with a lovely union of horror and comedy at the end of it all.

The Paranormal Communicator | Short Film of the Day

The growing conversation around the LGBTQIA community in contemporary society is directly proportional in its intensity to the reminder of a disturbing fact - the decades of rejection and denial of agency that the community has been subjected to. The short film is an endeavor in drawing your attention to the same fact. The method it employs to achieve its goal involves the portrayal of a true story from 1913. 

 When the film opens, it invokes for us an idyllic reality, marked by a brightness of colors and landscape, and the general cheer and intimacy that remains all pervasive as the viewer is taken deeper into it. We are further introduced to a loving couple, Jack and Anna, who is perfectly happy and content in each other's company in the little corner of their farm. However, anything that is marked by a perfection of the kind unfolding before you is bound to run into tragedy, as the narrative soon goes ahead to prove. 

 Through the delineation of all these events, the film furthers a very important conversation about the rigidity of society's monolithic structures, and the vehement opposition they put forth in the face of any flights from the normative order. It is then the story of two women, where one of them is forced to don the garb of a man simply to be able to be with the woman she loves, that the film presents an immensely relevant message to the viewer in an emphatic, resounding manner.

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