On a beautiful, bright day in Los Angeles, the film introduces us to Lavergne and Tony, two friends who have come together in an unlikely fashion, and are now undertaking an even more unlikely endeavor. Much to Lavergne’s dismay, she has been talked by Tony into climbing over two hundred steps over a steep hillside, despite all her protests and complete lack of confidence in her physical abilities. 
The situation comes to be marked by a sense of bizarre and the absurd, but one which only works in the narrative's favor. In the process, we are also introduced to Lavergne’s internal struggles and conflicts which have left her in a state of complete despair. Tony, however, will accept none of it, and therefore, in forcing his friend up the steps, he continues to reject and contest all her ideas of hopelessness with his own positive assertions and reminders. 

We are thus presented with a lovely portrayal of friendship, and the extent of its power to bring someone back from dejection. While both Tony and Lavergne may have their own physical obstacles to overcome, their approach remains crucial in overcoming them. The story is lucid and uplifting, even if the narrative could have gained from a little tautness. The final result remains heartwarming, and a sincere ode to the city of Los Angeles.

Stairway to the Stars | Short Film Nominee

While significant parts of the global population were adversely affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, some communities and portions were more severely damaged than others. The documentary film is a dedicated endeavor to draw your attention to the same concern. The narrative pivots on the homelessness crisis that deeply afflicts the entire US, in general, and the city of Los Angeles, in particular, choosing the latter as its subject matter. While privilege determined how protected you found yourself during this time and all that followed in its wake, those who were either already without a home, or forced to be on the streets as a result of the financial turbulence that was coupled with the pandemic, were left especially vulnerable and reeling in the aftermath. The financial location of a person in society often also gets tied with other aspects of their identity, underlines the film, also touching upon the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the presence of the Asian diaspora in the country. The visuals of the film suggest all of this without ever using any dialogue, allowing the stillness and emptiness of the frames to communicate its intentions. The documentary, thus, becomes an educational and informative product, urging the viewer to do their bit in assuaging, averting and mitigating the pain that has especially entrenched itself in our lives in a coronavirus-ridden world.

Brass | Short Film Nominee

The narratorial voice in the film employs poetry to present its views to you, also allowing a glimpse into the several experiences the narrator has undergone and wishes to portray. As the title suggests, the film opens with the her understanding of the city of Los Angeles and all that this relationship has come to stand for her in all its nuances, layers and moments that have been thrown her way. However, soon the tone changes from being an outward to an inward glance, that continues to grow in intimacy and the time it spends on each thought. As violence, harassment, sexism, patriarchy and the struggle of achieving all that one had set out to in the city takes center stage, cynicism finds its way into the narrative. Further, there is the use of an experimental approach in the portrayal of everything the words are expressing using symbolic, corresponding images. Though a product of limited resources, the voice and tone of the film exhibits notable potential. The same is translated into the final result as well, leaving the door open for more such endeavors.

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