Trigger warning: This video contains fast flashing images which might be unsuitable for photosensitive viewers. 

A lonely woman living a quiet life away from untapped potential, an empty mansion and an overbearing tragedy of the past - these three elements conjure the world of the film for you. The Duchess, a young woman who has dealt with traumatic loss right at the start of her life, one that casts an overwhelming shadow on her entire existence in the present, finds herself taking refuge in a world of fantasy and excesses. 

The film's true triumph lies in the path that it chooses to delineate its intentions. It opens with powerful, transitory and fast-paced images that set the mood and tone for what is to follow. We are presented with a suggestion of Ophelia, serpents, female figures running carefree in the woods, lying in a meadow of blossoms, and yet, a sense of darkness never truly leaves any of these images alone. 

As a colorful world is painted to step away from a monochromatic reality of grief, the film comes into being. Its voice remains unique and engaging, ensuring that this particular tale of a solitary Duchess stays with you long after you are done watching it.

The Duchess of Zion | 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

Darkness of the human mind is a concept which remains as vast and endless as it is fascinating. After introducing us to a protagonist who is seemingly alone in his house, the film establishes the same proposition as its thematic concern. Marked by a complete absence of dialogue, we are taken into a world where strangely disconcerting noises abound. 

The immediate reality of the sole character is constituted by jarring screams, troublesome shadows and all kinds of unknown dangers that lurk in the dark. The film does a notable job of conjuring all of these demons out of nothing by simply making a judicious use of sound and by adopting a controlled, calculated approach to withholding information only to reveal it gradually. In the process, the viewer is left with an emphatic comment about the monsters that predominate the existence within more than without. 

The plot speaks of the trauma of a recent tragic event and the manner in which it can influence and mould a person's life. The battle between the forces of despair and darkness and of hope, light and moving forward is allowed a metaphorical portrayal in Awake in the Dream, further enabling it to share its intentions with the audience in a neat, distinct manner.

Awake in the Dream | Short Film of the Day

The film brings to life a powerful story of resilience, survival, and waging the toughest battles life might throw someone’s way. The protagonist of this non-fiction narrative is Myles Berrio, a survivor of a near-fatal accident that cost him two of his limbs. 

 However, refusing to buckle down, he came back at life with an even more fierce spirit, downright refusing to merely be a survivor. In Berrio’s own words, he found a way to thrive, irrespective of the circumstances. The protagonist and his remarkable story of courage, determination, and strength are easily the strongest aspects of the film. 

Additionally, the narrative brings forth a notable endeavor that does justice to its delineation and execution. At its core rests a crucial message about ideas of courage, but above all, about kindness, forgiveness, sometimes even towards oneself if need be, making the story an impactful, poignant one that is sure to stay with the viewer for a long time.

Myles Berrio: From Surviving to Thriving | Short Film of the Day

The film invokes a conversation on several things that include loss, grief, familial dynamics and the effect of a tragic event on them, but above all, it is about one's belief in something omniscient. As the title suggests, it becomes a story about how a couple's faith in God, which they may have temporarily found shaken, eventually allows them to get past a deeply saddening incident in their lives. It has been a year to the death of Tori and Derek's son, Trey. The circumstance of his death is not revealed right away, as the narrative takes its time coming into its own. It further attempts an exploration of one's relationship with grief, and the manner in which it can hold power over every single decision of someone's life. However, just when things might seem too bleak with despair threatening to overpower the film, a sense of hope is conjured for the viewer. The overarching message, thus, proves to be about the insurmountable nature of resilience and forbearance, and the inexorable movement of life. Additionally, there is a reminder of how if tragedy has the potential of pushing two people apart, it is also capable of bringing them back together, making their bond stronger than what it ever was.

A Fall From Grace | Short Film Nominee

‘Superscope’ is a sincere, concise story of one night when fates of entire species hang in the balance. A researcher furiously looks for something in the night sky, soon finding himself face-to-face with an astonishing discovery - the confirmation of extraterrestrial existence. As the beings respond to his attempts at communication, tragedy awaits right around the corner. 

With a fixed physical space, a sole character on screen and special effects and animation thrown in the mix, the film comes across as a devoted endeavor. It shares its intentions simply by way of visuals, maintaining economy of dialogue. 

Even if it takes some generous liberties with the science of it all, the final result shows promise as the establishment of a premise of perhaps a longer project. The team could build on it to give us a deeper glimpse into the life and experiences of the protagonist, and all the adventures that lie in store for him.

Superscope | Short Film Nominee

The many dynamics that define the familial space are often marked by both passion and nuance, by extremes of emotions and the control and hindsight that follow in their aftermath. It is these two characteristics that find an echo in the film as well. With the voices of two characters coupled with still frames of open spaces and nature, along with the suggestion of perhaps them being an embodiment of the story unfolding on screen, the narrative moves forth. The film is concise, marked by a frugality of dialogue and a deliberate inactivity to instil in the viewer an intended quiet that is often the same as the calm that follows an upheaval. The plot wants to traverse these several points, all the while adopting and maintaining an experimental approach. The story operates within the space of metaphors and things left unsaid, sometimes even at the cost of lucidity it could have otherwise benefited from. On the whole, however, the final result exhibits potential, the desire to express and a personality in its vision to achieve the same.

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