The film weaves technology and sexuality together to create the most skilled and arresting narrative about the journey with regards to his gender identity and the manner in which it comes to be located in his marriage. As Emelia and Jeff celebrate their twentieth marriage anniversary, they decide to experiment with virtual reality glasses that echo their deepest subconscious perceptions of the self. A hesitant and sceptical Jeff is encouraged by his wife to let go of his apprehensions and try them on. What follows next is perhaps something neither the viewer nor the couple could have expected. Instead of potentially a night of "kinky sex", as later on one of the characters goes ahead to call it, it becomes one of revelations and self-discovery. The film employs light and sound to conjure an atmosphere of unease, which is an echo of the uncertainty, nervousness and confusion of the characters themselves. The performances blend in most seamlessly with the camerawork which only enhances the mood and sentiment that have been invoked so far. Consequently, the story of the film is a beautiful one, striking the right chords and exploring the most worthy nuances. Indeed its biggest strength lies in the manner of using something as clinical and potentially cold as science, to engage with human emotion, identity and the idea of the self in the most delicate manner.

Vert | Short Film of the Day

Nano puts together a narrative that oozes with swanky graphics, technical prowess and a storytelling befitting a top-drawer sci-fi flick to the extent of leaving you surprised when it ends at a mere sixteen minutes. Now this isn't a shortcoming, but a strength suggesting how the film has a premise and subject worthy of a longer project. The story is set in a futuristic society where nanotechnology has advanced far enough to be able to control a being's, humans or their pets, genetic makeup. While it may be all fun and games to alter your hair or eye colour at will, there indeed lies a much darker reality underneath it all. Though the government may be set to roll out an update that can potentially render all free will useless (surprise, surprise), there is a group of ethical hackers trying to fight against it, to ensure that human agency and individuality does not come under attack from technological developments. The film's attention to detail to the technology it discusses is worthy of mention, especially if you enjoy science fiction for its spectacular visuals, finesse of all the gadgets it brings to life and the manner in which the characters interact with it all. The film packs a complete punch of thrill, suspense, action, stolen identities and valiant sacrifices. It is involving, engaging and invokes the age-old idea of technological advancement posing a huge threat to mankind. The question the film would leave you with is that amidst the differing views strewn across the spectrum of the debate, where would you find yourself located?

Nano | Short Film of the Day

Nihilists believe that there is no meaning in existence, hence what is the point of anything? Existentialists differ a little from this to claim that indeed there is no meaning in existence, but while we are here, let's make the most of it. Of course this is an over-simplification, but it adequately provides the overlap on which the primary thought of Untitled Earth Sim 64 rests. 

 One day, Marie, the protagonist of the film, begins to notice something very unusual about her reality which begins to take the form of visual glitches around her. Before she can puzzle herself more over the strange developments, a 'researcher''s voice addresses her to reveal that the earth, as we know it, is merely a simulation which is now facing some technical difficulties. The knowledge is sufficient for Marie, as it would be for anyone, to end up spiralling in existential despair once she concludes that her life is no more than a cluster of code.

 It should be noted that the manner in which all of this is delineated is hilarious, and the pacing is right on point with all the punches landing neatly on target. There is further much to be said about the finesse with which the final product is achieved with a lean cast and crew, and a limited budget. The film packs a full blow within its brief narrative with every special effect succeeding at catching the viewer's eye, while maintaining the tautness of the plot throughout. 


In terms of thought, the film does a spectacular job of taking its story forth from the hackneyed philosophical and existential proposition that our entire existence might simply be a simulation, created by an indifferent creator who really has little to no interest in our individual being. Soon, the overarching question that propels the narrative forward, and eventually allows for an uplifting conclusion, becomes - is life truly abominable, even if it's only a simulation? 

If a simulation has begun to exist and expand on its own, creating timeless art, on the one hand, followed by the little joys of a perfect meal, on the other, can things actually be considered too bad? It is precisely in this manner that the film also proves to be strangely uplifting and unexpectedly hopeful. Unless, much like Marie, this is how we choose to give ourself hope in a meaningless existence, but that is indeed up to the viewer to decide - if this sense of hope is bona fide or simply a defence mechanism, or if there is a difference at all between the two to begin with?

Untitled Earth Sim 64 | Short Film of the Month

Nicholas is a man who spends most of his time with his many gadgets. From VR games to smartphones to recording videos for the internet - his days are completely consumed by the many contraptions of technology, and related activities. However, he does indeed seek a connection with another person. Loneliness and the desire for love quietly nestle themselves within the plot. 

Once again, Nicholas turns to technology to solve this problem, signing up for a dating app that will set him up with a potential partner based on a questionnaire he is soon presented with. Humor is woven into the narrative with the absolute contrast between the life Nicholas leads and the one he pretends to lead when faced with these questions. 

In the process, a lighthearted story comes into being, sometimes a little endearing, sometimes heartwarming as Nicholas heads out to meet his date. A crucial message of the film, one about the absolute significance of connections in our lives, is thus presented through what unfolds next. The resultant screenplay, performances, and plot development keep the viewer engaged all along. It would be interesting to develop the film as a longer project in the future, allowing its ideas and intentions better elucidation.

Mimesis | Short Film of the Day

‘Message’ is an entertaining, insightful look in the world of modern love, relationships, and how technology dictates them. Despite the themes and subjects it has set out to deal with, the film’s tone remains effervescent and fun, defined most adroitly by humor. Much of this entertainment and laughs are derived at the cost of the protagonist, and eventually a woman, with whom his path crosses under the most unlikely circumstances. 

Are we too busy swiping left and right on dating apps to truly notice the presence of love when it arrives knocking at our doorstep? The question becomes the starting point of the narrative where the agents of love are tired of the deep infestation of smartphones in our lives, and thus, have decided to take matters into their hands a little too…forcefully, to say the least. 

The protagonist is too preoccupied capturing and documenting life on his phone to actually notice and live it. One day when he loses his phone following a mugging and is forced to look up after frantically chasing his assailants in vain, has he possibly run into the promise of something romantic? The film conjures the idea, and some more, while keeping itself completely devoid of dialogue, and marked by visual development only. Eventually, it indeed presents an answer about the fate of this potential love story, and an inadvertent comment about the most consuming relationship of our lives, those with our phones.

Message | Short Film of the Day

David Crawford is a man on a mission - he is out to comprehend the dynamics of online dating in his investigative documentary. The small (and mostly indifferent) crew consists of a duo of two others - a cameraperson, and a pregnant woman who's simply glad to have received a professional gig despite the pandemic-stricken bleak reality of contemporary times. Now, Crawford a fan of the show Succession, has a vision marked by poetic grandeur, and lofty ambition to achieve it all - but on a budget. As the film progresses, the viewer finds their protagonist to be strange, but entertaining, along with being a combination of endearing and obnoxious at the same time. While he moves from one attempt to shoot his documentary to another, the dissonance between the images in his head and the truth of his lived reality offer the perfect contrast to amuse the viewer. All the punches land efficiently, generating laughter in the most unexpected ways at the expense of our fumbling protagonist. Soon enough the film becomes a conversation with his own aspirations and uncertainties, and less about the subject of online dating as a broader category, and deliberately so, further drawing the viewer's attention to how his idea of the self overwhelms any other understanding that he may have had of the world around him. Additionally, this world around him is also brought to life with ease and conviction, allowing the film to effortlessly achieve all that it has set out to.

Now Time With David Crawford | Short Film of the Day

There is something otherworldly, almost supernatural, about two women sitting in shadows, meticulously working on a piece of art. If you would have disagreed with this premise so far, this short film is here to change your mind in the most convincing manner. Choosing to locate its story a few decades into the future, the plot deals with the endeavours of two sisters to sell their figurines on a live stream online. The approach it adopts to share their story is experimental and therefore it would be erroneous to try to pin it down to a single genre. It further invokes memories, an idea of the past that suggests loss and tragedy, and yet, there is an undeniable sense of hope that comes to pervade the narrative, to dominate any apprehensions or anxieties that might have preceded it. By Prudence exhibits a sincerity of storytelling, a pathos which is hard to overlook. It is further translated magically on screen by the strong performance of its two-member cast, ensuring that the film is a successful whole with a mystic, abstract charm.

By Prudence | Short Film of the Day

‘uTransfer’ is an insightful glimpse that ties the many threads of sci-fi, technology, systemic racism, and immigrant realities together. The year is 2088 and the protagonist, Dean Flores, presents to us a world where he is trying to upload his consciousness to a parallel realm, created and supported by technology. The utopic ‘New World’ requires you to clear an exhaustive questionnaire before you are approved for the transfer. He hopes to be reunited with his dead brother in the process. 
 
The short film utilizes a fixed physical space, complete with its gadgets and devices, to portray all of this for the viewer via its predominantly single-cast set-up. The performance and writing become its most notable components, along with the screenplay, which remains tight and efficient and does not waste a single beat in delineating this world. 

The endeavor also presents an entire spectrum of emotions - from anger, loss, and tragedy, to ideas of justice and systemic racism. The end result that is eventually offered to the viewer becomes a sincere result that exhibits deep potential for more storytelling and engagement of the same kind.

uTransfer | Short Film Nominee

A dark basement, an old, inherited house with a history of its own, and insidious secrets that threaten to be the undoing of the characters involved - all of these elements together constitute the world of L.U.N.A. The film opens with an overworked, disgruntled employee, Lillian, visiting a house to provide technical help with a gadget her company makes. 

As Sarah and Jaime take her deeper into their lives, an undercurrent of mischief being afoot soon wriggles its way into what had so far seemed like a regular, mundane task. Things begin to spiral out of control until a moment, marked by its high intensity and even higher stakes, establishes and ensconces itself in the plot. 

 Within the brief duration of ten minutes, the film presents its sincere and dedicated endeavor to you. The imagery comes to be marked by symbols like a goat and a triangle, suggesting the presence of something satanic and sinister that lurks right below the surface. The employment of all of these tools is a notable hat-tipping to very specific aspects of the horror genre, tied together to ensure that the viewer is in for an entertaining, chilling ride.

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