The path of creative pursuits is circuitous, deceptive, and often entirely missing until a relentless artist comes along to somehow conjure it with their work. The short film is a beautiful, heartfelt, and poignant exploration of the same proposition. At its heart is the articulate protagonist Thad Cockrell, a gifted musician who discovered how closely intertwined his happiness is with music very early on in his life. 

Through our introduction to Cockrell, 'To Be Enjoyed' presents a moving narrative of love for one’s art, but also of the many obstacles that plague such an equation. The unforgiving pursuit can often fail all arguments of rationality and logic, and yet, the artist returns every day to commit themselves to it each time. Cockrell himself describes it as a kind of madness, but the overarching emotion that he infuses into the film, one that becomes its driving force, is the reminder that the world needs new stories, and for them to exist, people have to live them. 

Cockrell himself is one such story - presenting to us a life of obscurity that eventually finds its way on the Jimmy Fallon show in the most unlikely manner! This realm of creativity, failure, and the stubborn refusal to give up is portrayed with sustained long shots, coupled with deeply soulful vocals of the protagonist himself. The many components tied together present a meaningful endeavor that will remind you that it’s never too late, as long as you are turning up each day to take just another stab at what you truly love.

To Be Enjoyed | Short Film of the Month

Johnny, Kevin, and Ripper have driven into the middle of nowhere to shoot a video for their punk rock band. As they await the cameraperson and their team of hired background actors in a house of nondescript location and origins, the viewer is given a glimpse into the dynamics of their friendship, all along packed with humor, and fitting music.
 

The rehearsal begins with the sound just right, the music on point, and energies high... alongside the complete absence of the realization that the trio has walked into the lair of a bloodthirsty supernatural entity - an extremely creatively violent mime. There is not a moment to waste as the film weaves itself seamlessly thereafter. The slasher component of the narrative shines through with smooth special effects, and an equally invested screenplay, and writing. 

Our maniacal villain is never short of terribly horrifying, and disturbingly original ways of killing each of his victims, while the surviving bandmates scamper from one corner of the house to another in a seemingly failing bid to survive. The film soon culminates into a face-off of supernatural proportions (quite literally). The neat tying of ends follows, after not only having kept the viewer entertained all along, but also presenting a gradual trajectory of the very friendship of the three characters next to violence, blood splatter, and of course, the union of horror and humor.

The Mages of Rage | Short Film of the Day

The documentary introduces the viewer to the Hope Center for the Arts in California, USA. Established in 1979, the center is unique because of the manner in which it provides an art-based community for adults with intellectual disabilities. The narrative the film thus presents to the viewer is heartfelt and poignant, crisp in its brevity, and yet, lucid and comprehensive. 

Along with raising awareness about the center itself, and all the work that it has been doing, it further gives a glimpse into an entire community, their dreams and hope, but more than that, their talent and skill. It takes the form of a relevant story about a significant section of the population, which has been marginalized for a very long time with a single, dismissive stroke. 

All of this is painted for the viewer, without resorting to overt sentimentalism or maudlin storytelling in any form. It is indeed this characteristic which allows the film the necessary sensitivity and nuance to make its message impactful and empowering.

A Crack in the Universe | Short Film of the Day

Eschewing hackneyed visuals that might often accompany noise-rock, ‘Macca the Mutt’ presents to you a world of its own. Complete with a characteristic grittiness and unmissable texture, the music video stands firmly on its two feet. The uniqueness of tonality and approach are the main factors allowing the visuals to succeed in this manner. 

With Party Dozen's Kirsty Tickle on the saxophone and Jonathan Boulet on percussion, the video conjures distortions and vocal modifications to present its reality to you. While at first glance one might expect a steam-punk aesthetic, the expectation is soon foiled as the video progresses. This is further coupled with musician and singer Nick Cave’s repeated refrain at the end, also marking an exception to the famously reclusive pattern of the artist when it comes to collaboration with other artists and musicians. 

In a song that is devoid of all lyrics, save for the refrain, the thematic motivations and their interpretations are the responsibility more of the audience than the creators themselves. However, the video still presents a sense of mundane, futile cyclicality of life, an allusion to a working-class existence and that of manual labor, which is immediately tied with the disruptive sense of discomfort that the song weaves in. 

Since the video is very genre-specific, it is not for everyone. And yet, what you make of it is your prerogative entirely, as the vocals and the emotions behind them get reflected in the visual narrative before you.

Macca the Mutt | Short Film of the Day

Theo lives by himself and is not always super enthusiastic about social interaction, be it over the phone or attending an event with a friend. However, within this life of consciously chosen quiet, an unexpected development occurs one day when a pizza boy arrives with the order. 

Moments of tension which is later undercut, and humor are interweaved seamlessly to present the developing circumstance to the viewer. A conversation ensues between the two characters in the most effortless ways, leading the viewer, and more surprisingly, the protagonist, down some very unexpected paths. In the process, an intimate story of loss, grief, and notably, of shared love between two brothers, comes into existence. 
Never burdened with sentimentalism, the film’s emotional spectrum remains lucid and impactful throughout, ensuring that all its intentions are expressed and portrayed expertly. It is further marked by well-defined visual grammar and progression that bring Theo’s world, as well as his emotional landscape to life, with ease alongside the free-flowing chemistry of the two actors.

Me + Lee | Short Film of the Day

‘Le Miroir’ is a wonderful romance, magical in its visuals, storytelling as well as thematic concerns, with an otherworldly existence that two women lead. Mathilde and Madame B have both known love, loss and heartache, and now find the tragedies of the past an overpowering presence in their lives, one that shapes and molds all of their actions in the present. 

The portrayal of this premise is achieved with a stroke of fantasy, but as any enduring fantasy tale, very rooted in the real world, and in this case, one that is defined by grief, pain, and eventually finding one’s voice and the ability to use it. The movement of the narrative from the moment when Mathilde stops speaking following the death of her parents, to when she utters her first word, involuntarily and in the wake of an accident, forms the completed trajectory of its core underpinnings. 

At the heart of it all is the lovely motif of a mirror, along with both its fragility and resilience, and the unexpected paths it takes our protagonist on. The storytelling in itself is marked by a beautiful, shared female space, whip pans and sets which are any art department’s dream, further bringing to life the humor reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film, and an overall atmospheric quality of European cinema.

Le Miroir | Short Film of the Month

Our young protagonist, Benji is a gifted musician. His talent is further coupled with a love for his art, which ensures that even in the face of bullying and jeering by some of his more aggressive peers, he is always wholeheartedly present for his music. The school’s last concert of the year is coming up, a big night for all the young musicians, when the most terrible tragedy befalls Benji. 

The visual grammar of the film, the transitions, and hand-held shots, present a sophisticated endeavor in making it all come to life. When coupled with the manner sound is employed to bring juxtaposition and contrast, the message is pronounced seamlessly. As the title of the film gets realized in Benji’s unfolding nightmarish reality, reminding the viewer of a musical genius who had suffered the same fate, he finds himself distanced manifold from the one thing he truly loved. 
In his anger and frustration, however, could the same thing he feels painfully severed from truly be his savior? The film not only presents this question but also sees its answer through right till the very end.

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