The film, marked by its sombre palette, is essentially a quiet, unrushed conversation that the protagonist is having with the viewer. As it comes into its own, the tone continues to grow in intimacy, imbuing the film with honesty and candour, thereby making its subject matter universal. The protagonist takes you along the circuitous route of his introspection as well as his interactions with the world without - invoking ideas of existentialism, nihilism, isolation, loneliness, and the manner in which he is located amidst this ongoing tussle between the several forces of consciousness. The film is a solo-project, and thus very evidently exhibits a consistency of vision and progression with regards to the narrative. Finally, it closes with the image of a fragment of a broken bridge, the entire structure destroyed. And yet, the protagonist continues with his work on a computer, as if his immediate reality is not a sight of immense destruction and upheaval, as if nothing has happened, for despite everything else, it is something to do, it is one more stab at making loneliness or simply existence, less overwhelming a proposition. He is flanked by two of his loyal companions (his past selves? emotional baggages?) who never leave his side, who now continue to work at the concrete and stone structure with their equipment, leaving you with the resounding question - are they rebuilding it or taking it down further?

Sometimes I Think About Things, and Sometimes I Get Sad | Short Film of the Day

Nicholas is a man who spends most of his time with his many gadgets. From VR games to smartphones to recording videos for the internet - his days are completely consumed by the many contraptions of technology, and related activities. However, he does indeed seek a connection with another person. Loneliness and the desire for love quietly nestle themselves within the plot. 

Once again, Nicholas turns to technology to solve this problem, signing up for a dating app that will set him up with a potential partner based on a questionnaire he is soon presented with. Humor is woven into the narrative with the absolute contrast between the life Nicholas leads and the one he pretends to lead when faced with these questions. 

In the process, a lighthearted story comes into being, sometimes a little endearing, sometimes heartwarming as Nicholas heads out to meet his date. A crucial message of the film, one about the absolute significance of connections in our lives, is thus presented through what unfolds next. The resultant screenplay, performances, and plot development keep the viewer engaged all along. It would be interesting to develop the film as a longer project in the future, allowing its ideas and intentions better elucidation.

Mimesis | Short Film of the Day

Mental health has made significant inroads into our cinema and art, and this film goes ahead to prove the same. Potentially triggering for those who battle mental health issues on a regular basis, the film is a literal and metaphorical representation of a man's struggle to grapple with his own internal demons. As the protagonist tries to take transitory comfort in substance abuse and drown the voices in his head in alcohol, the film holds the potential of being relatable for several viewers in the same age group as him. The strongest aspects of Lost in Oblivion are definitely it's performance and camerawork, both working arduously to make the story work. Succeeding at it, the various elements of the narrative come together to invoke an urgent concern - the absolute need to acknowledge and address the mental health concerns of a huge part of contemporary society.

Lost in Oblivion | 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 the 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 might 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.

Frankie and Benny | Short Film of the Day

Amy has found herself in a fix. Following a fall-out with her boyfriend, she has moved back in with her mother. Struggling to make friends or find an end to the isolation, no matter the amount of advice dished out to her by podcasts on similar themes, she seeks out a small job of babysitting. 

As the premise is established, we are taken into a bright, sun-lit world of a rosy-cheeked protagonist. This brightness remains consistent throughout, despite the potentially dark developments unfolding before us. It is in this consistency that horror and humor are allowed an efficient coupling in the short film. Amy, on the other hand, is in for a truly shocking surprise when she finds out that the job entails not the looking after of a child, but of indeed a moody, eccentric ghost who refuses to move on. 

 With an affinity for breaking objects and throwing tantrums if her desires are not met with, our supernatural friend too brings in an unexpected union of two disparate elements - horror and the promise of something that might offer Amy relief from her troubles. The film's world remains marked by a quiet softness, brought to life notably by the actors and their endearing characters, all of which together take the narrative home in a smooth manner.

Ghostsitter | Short Film of the Day

The film is a brief, crisp, fast-paced story about a woman who is grappling with immense change in her life. Sam has recently moved to a new city with her husband. Away from loved ones and a life she was more familiar with, she now finds herself physically and emotionally isolated. 

 Throughout the film, there is an overarching suggestion of the loneliness she battles in her marriage as well. With an absentee husband, Sam only has her own terrors and nightmares as companions in the darkness of the night. The film explores all of this and some more in its few minutes, roping in jump scares and a suggestion of the darkness of the human mind, to bring its intended horrors to life. 

 There is a suggestion of the internal demons of the mind making their way into the corporeal, physical reality of the protagonist, while keeping the viewer guessing about the nature of the haunting - whether supernatural or psychological. In the process, the final result becomes an engaging and absorbing ride, one that will keep you at the edge of your seat all along.

A Bitter Murmur | Short Film of the Day

The film premises itself on the age-old philosophical question - if an event occurs, but there is no one to perceive it, did it take place at all? If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, did it fall at all? When the evasive and seemingly unachievable answer to this question is tied with the contemporary reality of a pandemic, that forced people into isolation with their thoughts, its significance can potentially achieve staggering proportions, as is also true for the protagonist and her lived experience in Sway. The film drops hints throughout its narrative about the direction it is headed in for the attentive viewer. The beauty of the story does not lie in confronting its core dilemma, one that arises out of loneliness, and the extent you're willing to go to fight it off, but in the realisation of its inevitability. It is precisely for this reason that the narrative does not become any less engaging or lose its impact even after it has revealed all of its cards to you. Completely shot indoors, Sway is further a noticeable piece of art to come out of a quarantined existence. As the protagonist struggles with notions of reality and illusion, compelling the audience to perhaps face the confusion and unanswered questions within, there is a coherent and cohesive plot presented forth to drive the message home in a skilled manner.

Sway | Short Film of the Day

The film opens with a man speaking to an unspecified listener. Is he speaking with himself? Is the conversation only inside his head or is someone truly present in the room? The silence that accompanies this monologue pronounces a sense of isolation that is also evident in the austere surroundings of a nondescript room. 

The visual development is soon juxtaposed against the endless open space of the sea. The presence of a woman conjures a suggestion of memory, and therefore, presents another imagined listener to the protagonist. By invoking the said narrative, there is a sincere endeavor to talk about the isolation and loneliness of mental health struggles. 

Pain, grief, loss, longing, all of these are suggested within the film. Though the writing might run the danger of being a little young, the performance, visuals and edit all exhibit deep potential.

In My Mind | Short Film of the Day

Employing beautiful visuals and a sophisticated edit, the short film brings to life a conversation on loneliness and isolation. As we come out of the year that was 2020, with a deeper understanding of what these two, often interchangeable, words could mean, the narrative gains more relevance in the contemporary context. It is interesting to note at this juncture that this relevance is indeed achieved by using a recording of The Lonely Night, an educational film from the mid-twentieth century, against which the audio narrative of the film is plotted. 

Additionally, there is the attempt to align these ideas with the visuals of night. An experimental approach further allows it to lucidly exhibit the thought behind these visuals, ensuring that they all come together as a cohesive whole. However, the film does not simply present its engagement with isolation, but also takes it a step ahead to suggest that it is only one half of the same piece, only the darkness that precedes daylight. This, in turn, brings in a sense of hope for the viewer, irrespective of how overwhelmed or distanced we may have felt from those around us. 

All of these elements are put together in the mix to conjure a narrative of the emotional complexity that echoes inside you, often keeping you from truly feeling at ease with your surroundings, as you grapple with the overbearing questions within. However, the overarching message of the film remains one of hope, and of eventually finding the answers that you seek. The film simply presents its ideas, but does not take you deeper into them. The intention comes across beautifully, though it would be wonderful to see it as a longer, more adept project in the future with a closer analysis of its underpinnings.

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