The documentary follows the lives of two siblings, Juliette and Howard, living on Isle de Jean Charles.The reason it is important to introduce the viewer to this particular island is because, owing to climate change and its disastrous effects on the environment, it is simply a sinking mass of land, declared to be in a state of emergency by the US state of Louisiana. The two teenagers are amongst those who are the first "climate refugees" of the country, to be relocated with their family as well as the other inhabitants of the island. It is through their story, one that hides an intense struggle underneath the surface of everyday, mundane activities, that the film invokes a powerful narrative. It succeeds especially for it manages to make the urgent concerns of climate change a deeply personal issue. It is no longer about faceless people in an unknown part of the world, instead it is about regular kids and their kin living in a neighbourhood probably no different from yours. The wonderful camerawork and the seamless edit allows it to be a story of childhood, memories of the past, growing up and everything else associated with the idea of home. While the siblings try to cling to their sense of familiarity and security, despite all the obstacles life has thrown their way, their safe harbour has been declared uninhabitable by the government, forcing them to leave it all behind. Yes, the film is poignant and deeply moving in the manner in which it shifts the anxieties surrounding a macro issue to a very micro level, but it is also so much more for it tells a story that is becoming increasingly relevant in contemporary times.

Lowland Kids | Short Film of the Day

The story of Uproot is of loss, tragedy, financial trouble, growth and above all, family. Delving into the many nuances and complexities that come to constitute a familial structure, the film packs a complete product in its short duration. It achieves it all by way of a single conversation one afternoon between a woman and her brother. The performances are undisputedly one of the strongest aspects of the film. This is in close competition with the visuals which make wonderful use of light, shadows and a limited physical space of primarily a single room. The camera stays static as the woman moves in and out of the room, trying to take stock of the damage done to the house, and in turn, to her brother's emotional health and life in general. On the face of it, the narrative is simple - it's one sibling trying to convince another to move on, to not let grief pull themselves in too deep. However, look closer, and there is more - there is regret, a fallen plant with a broken pot as a beautiful metaphor, but also careful hands, gingerly putting it back together. There is anger, but also a desire to grow, and above all, there is love and a sense of hope.

Uproot | Short Film of the Day

It’s Nora and Taylor’s last night in their home before the town is evacuated. While young Nora tries to come to terms with the world around her, a reality that seems to be imploding upon itself, and in the process, uprooting her life from one part, and forcing it into an entirely new, alien corner, her older sister is seemingly far from that in her emotional state. If embracing this truth ushers in a sense of emptiness, as also established in the title, alongside existential musing, on the one hand, it leads to blithely gay pursuits of something completely inane on the other. 

The film, in portraying this, presents an interesting contrast in how the two siblings approach the circumstance. If Taylor focuses on the immediate desires of partying with her peers, perhaps also encountering a romantic fling thrown in the mix, Nora feels her everyday concerns of school, friends, joining a sports team, even the pain of saying goodbye to her home, grow more and more diminutive in the face of what seems to be impending doom. 

The narrative thus offers an intimate, meaningful engagement with a reality where large-scale evacuations alter the course of the day like a slight change in the weather, and yet, little things like pursuing a crush at a party seem bigger than the world ending sometimes. The same contrast is echoed in the conflict that develops between the two sisters by way of a narrative and plot that is constructed with care and control. The final result becomes an engagement with a single moment that remains nuanced, layered, and deeply heartfelt, alongside an equally seamless visual progression and screenplay.

Most of the Time We Are Just Waiting | 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

‘Julian’ is a wonderfully entertaining exploration of familial dynamics. It presents a ridiculously bizarre circumstance, a woman deeply and delusionally in love with a fruit, to talk about one of the most universally common aspects of our social structures, conflicted sibling equations. 

Brynn is a seemingly successful pediatrician, in a healthy, supportive relationship. However, her loving partner is juxtaposed against Marlow, her “toxic”, by her own acceptance, sister. As the party of three meets for a reconciliation meal, things continue to get out of control in quick succession. 
The film is intelligent in its brevity, ensuring that the leanness of the narrative works in its favour, keeping you involved in the plight as well as the antics of its characters throughout. Additionally, the story has its heart in the right place, ensuring that it closes with an unexpected, but undeniable, sense of warmth and wholesomeness.

Julian | Short Film of the Month

‘Fish’ is a heartfelt and endearing story of two siblings, both pushed headlong into the world of adulthood and maturity much before their time. 

With an absentee mother, along with adoption locating itself at the heart of this particular structure, the family of two is all that Charlie and Sawyer have available to each other. As the film presents a poignant, but subtle story of companionship, all along employing humor to make the burden of the characters’ truth a little easier to bear, the metaphor of the title, adjustment problems that constitute the lived reality of the siblings, substance abuse and some more, are all conjured for the viewer. Additionally, the two actors are remarkable in the chemistry they bring to life. 

While the subject matter is complex, the narrative’s interaction with it is defined by skill and ease. This, in turn, allows 'Fish' to succeed in not only entertaining and involving the viewer, but in further making them deeply invested in the emotional dynamics unfolding before them.

Fish  | Short Film of the Month

Ali is faced with the indomitable task of tying loose ends after the death of a family member, his sister, Mahra. The subsequent story that comes into existence is a moody thriller about societal pressures, and more importantly, a fractured psyche that can follow in the wake of all of these pressures. 
Ali is left powerless in the face of what is expected of him, and how he must navigate his family’s position which is now incontrovertibly tied to his sister’s suicide. The crushing fear of the truth coming out is palpable in the portrayal of the protagonist, alongside an equally complementary performance that brings him to life. 

If on the one hand, there is concealment of the true causes of Mahra's death, in a bid to protect the family’s reputation and sense of honor, on the other hand, is a grieving brother with no time and space for his pain to be dealt with. The chasm between what one wants to do and what is expected of them is allowed a notable portrayal in the film. The narrative handles the intensity and the direness of the circumstance that Ali battles with earnestness, alongside deliberate stylistic choices of visuals and background score, to further embellish the storytelling, making the film an engaging watch.

The Apartment | Spotlight

The beautifully captured all-female space of Hermana (Sister) brings to life an otherworldly charm, sensual and visceral, elegant and sophisticated, all at the same time. The shadows and dim-light of the opening visuals, marked by flower wreaths and crowns, made lovingly by a daughter for her mother and sister, reenforce the existence of our characters in an ethereal world, a parallel realm of sorts where only the three reign true and free. However, amidst the many folds of this meticulously constructed space rests a disconcerting unease which is impossible to shake off. The viewer is fully aware that despite the calm constituted by the several objects on screen, as well as by the measured and quiet manner of the little family itself, the space is far from being an idyllic haven. The first certainty is accentuated in the form of a little inversion of a smile, a slight droop of the shoulders in the opening sequence itself. After spending hours to prepare a birthday dinner for her mother, when our protagonist still finds her plans far from attaining perfection, the disappointment is loud and clear. When despair of foiled attempts meets envy, it is the latter that eventually comes to color and overwhelm the relationship of the two sisters. While one is loving, open, unsuspecting, unaware of any sentiment of this kind wriggling its way into their equation, the other is angry, conflicted and determined to act on the very emotion. Hermana does a skilled job of delineating all of the several intricacies of a sibling-bond where one dark hue threatens to overpower the love it could have stood for. In the process, the film, a story of two sisters, tucked away in a quiet corner of the Spanish countryside, becomes a compelling portrayal of the many dynamics of the familial space - from envy-tinged equations of affection and compassion to the close bond of intimacy and violence. The emotions are, thus, rendered unmistakably palpable for the viewer, drawing them deeper and deeper into the narrative up to a point of no return.

Most Viewed

Genres

Awards

Follow Us

Quick Links