The short film begins at a grim note - a man has just entered the office of a mental health expert to talk about a strange experience. Hesitant at first, he soon opens up when the doctor ensures him that this is indeed a safe space. The account he shares involves being stuck in a strange house that eventually led him to a time period and era long gone by. The film paces itself out while weaving the tale, attempting to invoke a world that is over three decades old. The protagonist is overwhelmed by the absurdity of it all, and yet feels the desperate need to share it with someone. Further, there is also the attempt to briefly discuss issues of mental health for the uninitiated. After this session and a medication prescription, he hopes this would be the end of his troubles, but would that truly be the case? Additionally, the narrative leaves a few loose ends, whether deliberately or otherwise. It would be interesting to see them tied up in subsequent chapters of the story.

D-301| Short Film Nominee

A man sits in his room, a lamp serving as the only evident source of light in the darkness of the night. While he scribbles some words on the paper, strange occurrences start to take place. Whatever he writes, comes true in a disturbing fashion, leaving him deeply shocked and bemused. He moves from one instruction to another, and those events continue to jump into reality. He frantically searches for a way out of this most uncanny situation, and just when he, as well as the viewer, think a solution has been achieved, something far disturbing happens.

The End | Short Film Nominee

Made within fifty hours, the short narrative is a fun and entertaining glimpse into the misadventures of a domestic help and his employer. When he arrives, he is categorically told by the man of the house to stay away from a specific room which has a reverse sign on the door. One night, tired of the mosquitoes in his corner of the house, he forces his way into the room, and the most absurd set of events begin to develop. 

The final result brings in moments of humor, all along not taking itself too seriously. Through the caricaturesque portrayal of the help, it aims to generate laughter for the viewer (even though some lines of portrayal of people of a specific class are a little too clearly defined), the overall result remains lighthearted to watch.

Reverse | Short Film Nominee

The film attempts a judicial use of a metaphor - one of death knocking at the door of a smoker. Aimed at drawing the viewer’s attention against the harms of smoking, the film employs the idea of darkness and other horrors that await smokers. A man sits by himself enjoying a cigarette. However, just when he thinks he can partake of the pleasure peacefully, a sudden noise shakes him out of it. It continues to build, yet there is little to no realisation on the part of the protagonist. He may have led himself by the hand to a very dark fate, but will he succumb to it or find a way to save himself in time?

The Last Knock | Short Film Nominee

The short film employs colour transitions and contrasting visuals of happiness and loneliness to talk about mental health. Made with the intention of raising awareness about depression, the film urges its viewers to ask for help if they find themselves struggling with despair and hopelessness. The story is of a single character who takes pills to fall asleep. The world of his dreams is full of light and colours. However, every day he wakes up to a dark, dismal reality where he struggles with mental demons on a regular basis. While he continues to use medication as crutches for falling asleep, what would be his fate, and more importantly, what is the lesson it will leave the viewer with?

Colourless | Short Film Nominee

Attempting to adopt the approach of a silent comedy, along with a mask reminiscent of V from V for Vendetta, Nakaab-Posh shares its story with the viewer. Though the premise is not entirely unique, a box which duplicates the object placed inside it - an idea that has been explored by other short films before, it aims to change the treatment of the story and the misadventures of this particular protagonist. The final result is then tied together and presented to the viewer.

Rohan Rajwardhan

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