A film does not always have to deal with grand thematic concerns for it to be powerful and lasting in the impression it makes. Sometimes it can simply deal with a single moment of grief to shatter your heart and, in the process, justify its title, Heartbreaker. Sincere and poignant in the authenticity with which it approaches and portrays the underpinnings of the plot, the story is of a custody battle between a young mother and childcare services. As you are allowed a longer glimpse into the mother's life, the heartache and grief of separation become characters in their own right. At the core of the narrative rest potent questions about parenting - is only love enough? Who decides these parameters of what is and what isn't enough? Consequently, the film leaves you struggling with ideas of right and wrong, the several complexities of the adult world fighting over an innocent infant who has no understanding of the events unfolding around her and most importantly, about the urgency of protecting her from the very person who could have been responsible for her well-being in a parallel world. In terms of its storytelling, and moving beyond the sentiment it engages with, the film is especially beautiful in the manner in which it employs sound. Be it a gentle humming, an eerie silence gradually building into something else or an indistinctly muffled conversation, as disorienting as viewing a blurry world from underwater - all of them serve the purpose of amplifying the inherent sentiment of the narrative, leading to a story that stays with you long after you are done interacting with it.

Heartbreaker | Short Film of the Month

There are not enough cliches that can be quoted with respect to simplicity and the extent to which it can strengthen an idea. However, they are as rife as they are for a reason - they hold true in many cases, and this film happens to be one such example. It does not attempt to make any loud noises about what it wants to convey. Neither does it paint itself as a pathbreaking narrative on gender, demanding all ears and eyes be turned in its direction. On the contrary, it is a quiet, objective delineation of one night in the life of a young girl, on the cusp of adulthood in modern-day Cairo. It is clear from the very start that negotiation with the many dynamics of gender and the manner in which they locate a young woman in society is at the very heart of the narrative. From attention from a boy she is confused about, and definitely uncomfortable with after a point, to simply walking around on a dark, lonely street. From the comfort of a warm bed, to the isolation that comes along with it irrespective of the family and friends the protagonist is surrounded with - the film engages with it all, and yet, does not make a clamour for attention. It is perhaps in this calm approach of the story and its execution that the success of Youth lies, allowing it to participate in the conversation on gender with its silently confident and impactful manner.

Youth | Short Film of the Day

The film presents to us three seemingly unconnected narratives that glimpse into the lives of characters who would be anywhere but where they are. 

A man goes to a restaurant to read. After finding himself distracted at home, he literally physically moves himself from his immediate circumstance, and yet, here again, there is no sense of belonging to be found. A state of emotional unhappiness follows him, irrespective of the change in his physical space. The same is true of a young woman who wakes up with a start only to spend her first few waking moments doomscrolling on her phone. The movement that might have the potential of making either of the two feel even remotely better thus seems to be an internal journey, as opposed to an external, literal movement. 
The third circumstance is of a little girl who is entrapped in a world constructed by adults with virtually no power of her own. While adults might spew unsolicited life advice, her eyes remain wide with the inability to make sense of a world she finds herself located in. 
Without a single thread that emphasizes the explicit coherence of the three components of the narrative, a lot is left up to the viewer to take away from the film. Or perhaps the film’s job is to simply present disassociated, disconnected characters locked in a world of mindless consumption as well as creation of content. The emptiness and vapidity of it all indeed seem to be the underlying message of the film, the thread to tie it all together. Though the performance, screenplay, and narrative-building, all are achieved with skill and seamlessness, the obscurity inherent to the narrative might not be for every viewer. The door is left open for them to approach and interpret it in their own manner.

The Jokes | Short Film of the Day

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

A desperate intern, an exploitative senior, a vain television show host, a corrupt pharmaceutical company, a conscientious professor, and an existentialist, indifferent author - all of these myriad elements constitute the world of ‘Daily Bread’. The film presents an interesting, tense, and drama-packed crossroads of its several components. Their journeys and the eventual convergence takes place during a live television show where an intensely divisive topic is up for conversation. 

A pharmaceutical corporation has developed a medication that claims to bolster immunity to previously unencountered levels. However, when questioned by its detractors, the company’s representative on the show is unable to provide any transparency on what truly constitutes the medicine or a concrete defense for the lack of inclusiveness in their customer base which is defined by privilege. Amidst the heated argument and the underlying stressors that involve the host as well, little do the participants realize that a far more violent and shocking development is awaiting them right around the corner. 

The narrative offers a zealous effort in roping the many layers within its screenplay and visual progression, coupled with satire and ironic humor. Even if some punches fall a little short of going the entire distance, the end result manages to tap into the swiftly devolving situation, chaotic and overwhelming, to finally tie all loose ends together into a composite whole.

Daily Bread | Short Film of the Day

‘Adderall Cowboy’ paints a world with a predominance of pink, and linked colors, in the palette. As a space of luxury and softness comes to mind, the reality it represents is far from that. 

A charming protagonist introduces us to her professional endeavors, the business of peddling drugs to teenagers. She likes to indulge herself in long baths and self-care routines, all along funding her preferences with money earned from enabling young, impressionable minds into getting consumed by substance abuse. 

The film is especially notable in the leanness it employs for sharing all this. Its elements are few, but completely sufficient for fulfilling the job of critiquing a crumbling society. A single character within the walls of a single room help this reality unfold, ensuring that the ideas are presented with a sustained approach of frugality - of dialogue, characters and the physical space conjured before you.

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