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

‘Brilliance’, marked by unmissable poetic and surrealist qualities, is simply a story of two high-school girls. However, it’s the treatment and portrayal of the said narrative that truly elevates it. 
The girls, aspiring painters and artists, while discussing their approach to art and linked goals, present metaphors that become the heart of the story. As they discuss self-portraits, and the revelations that they carry within, the characters speak of the many ways they are being stopped, or will eventually be stopped, from painting all that they desire. The question that then propels the narrative forward is that will they also be stopped from loving who they want, and as they want? 

It is in the implicit nature of this thought, loaded and moulded by uncertainty and chaos, that the act of painting becomes a metaphor for love. The ideas are further coupled with a beautiful background score, and heartfelt performances that thus bring the narrative home in a seamless manner.

Brilliance | Short Film of the Day

The plunge into the world of ‘Kaandpur’ is sudden and invigorating. Vinod has found himself in a real fix, and now he rushes to move a huge mass from its position deep in the ground, to another location. Helped by Rafiq and Guddu, the protagonist executes the task in absolute darkness, after having gone through a harrowing thrashing himself at the hands of the local goons. 

After the narrative has deliberately painted a different picture, when the revelation about the true nature of this act arrives, it proves to be shocking as much as it is involving. This, in turn, enables the film to present an important comment about social realities, and the extremes they can push people to. 

Locating itself in Kanpur, India, the title plays not only on the city’s name, but also on kaand, a slang that loosely translates to scandal or an act gone terribly wrong. The world of the film, though not without a few rough edges in its narratorial progression, is handled with care and sincerity, and presents a voice that is original, authentic and undiminished.

Kaandpur | 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.

Adderall Cowboy | Short Film of the Day

A group of men have decided to shun society, and now live in a world far away, in a nondescript corner of wilderness, with a man’s steady, unwavering voice reminding them of all the evils that await them outside. They prepare to wage a battle against all of these imagined, overpowering agents and forces of chaos, while continuing to lead this singular existence. The film presents a reality that establishes a powerful premise, uniting it with equally disconcerting images. It offers a strong beginning, with a suggestion of the middle it has the potential of leading to. After constructing its realm in this manner, employing a beginning and a middle thus, perhaps a longer, detailed project exploring the end will further aid the storytelling, as well as present a more elaborate portrayal of the world for the viewer’s benefit.

They Are Out There | Short Film Nominee

The short film becomes the most unexpectedly hilarious development of events as the protagonist, called Matt, chooses to go out for a walk. This seemingly mundane activity turns out to be life-altering when a bat bites him. However, consider yourself mistaken if you think this is the end of Matt's troubles who bites the bat back! Using its mouthful repetition of words and the names of the two characters of the narrative - Matt and the Bat, the film weaves a fun and entertaining plot. As both characters find themselves transforming in a manner that makes them suitable and appropriate for a different existence - Matt sleeps upside down in his apartment, while the Bat no longer enjoys daytime naps, and rents a room - they decide to finally meet for a conversation at a bar. This meeting serves to reveal to both the viewer as well as our characters how they should proceed further in life. The film uses animation to share its story with the audience, and perhaps, even make a comment about acceptance and finally finding where one truly feels at home. Simply because Matt has been located in human society and the Bat in a cave with his chiropteran brethren, is that where they really belong now, after their little encounter?

The Bat and the Matt | Short Film of the Day

It won't be erroneous to say that the film is highly likely to catch the fancy of an admirer of the likes of Twin Peaks or Donna Tartt's The Secret History. Set in the rocky terrain of Montana, USA, the film is complete with its cool palettes of browns and greys, of autumn leaves and misty mountains. The inverted detective story of Eagle Rock opens with the scene of a prison where a girl recounts the events that eventually led to three murders. It is the late 60s-early 70s that forms the historical location of the story which moves back and forth in time in its non-linear fashion.
 The audience is introduced to Alex who works at a bookstore. Her path soon crosses with that of Jay, a man who is her senior in years and experience, someone she also finds irresistible in his charm and lure. A romantic rendezvous ensures that the course of her life is changed forever. Alex's rapidly growing devotion to Jay continues to develop while more young and visibly gullible women are drawn to him, eventually resulting in a cult-like group of as many as sixteen members. The film exhibits vision and powerful storytelling. However, the execution of the plot misses a few marks, keeping it from being all that it could be. It would have been appreciated had the second half maintained the same pace as the first half which takes its time coming into its own, the various elements of the plot would have seemed more consistent and congruent in this scenario. However, this critique is only intended to shine light on the potential the film already exhibits. It is an involving, entertaining watch, making the viewer sit up and pay attention to the skill and expertise of Eleanor Wells.

Eagle Rock | Short Film Nominee

The world of the film is marked by its society's dual obsession - with beauty and with making an extra buck. It is a dystopic reality of a culture that is fixated on maintaining their youth eternally, no matter the cost. Consequently, when this leads to an incredibly lucrative opportunity for big corporations, or a spa facility in this case, all kinds of murkiness enters the picture. Even though the cost of youth is localised denervation, a process involving slow paralysis of the nerve endings in the body, people are unable to stay away from the very substance that leads to it. In fact, it is this specific process that they seek in order to reduce and prevent the appearance of wrinkles. 

The substance which is used to achieve the desired results is called Botulinum toxin A, which is not simply a source of Botox, but also one of the deadliest substances known to humankind in the absence of quantity control. In a world where simply releasing a teaspoon of it in the air could kill thousands of people, the viewer is taken into a narrative marked by animation reminiscent of the realm of a video-game. Further, it is the story of a town where a botulism outbreak has led to high levels of toxicity in the air. 

 Through all of these elements, the film aims to comment on several things - the exploitation of capitalist forces, the mindless obsession with making money leading to adulteration and putting innumerable lives at stake, unhealthy beauty standards and their consequences on the quality of existence. The film sets the premise, even though it does not follow it all the way through. There are several things it wants to say which, however, could have been communicated better with a final product of a longer length, something that allowed it to adopt a more detailed, insightful approach for each of them. On the whole, the film comes across as a sincere endeavour, but it would be welcoming to see a longer version of the same narrative, with more time spent on different aspects.

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