Drawing inspiration from 'The Maids' by the French playwright Jean Genet, the film is an exploration of two women trying to get rid of their exploitative and seedy boss. As they play out the moment of his death, revelling in their make-belief victory every single day, the film perhaps attempts to invoke the same theatrics as its parent text. However, the narrative does not come through entirely with the atmosphere it aims to conjure, sometimes giving in to a repetition that does not work as a thematic device. Overall, the film exhibits significant potential in terms of storytelling that can be explored further by the team in their future projects.

Vidheyar | Short Film Nominee

The film uses a dark premise as its subject matter, quite contrary to the note it opens on. The scene is of an average household where a woman is preparing a meal for her family. However, soon a phone call from her friend, takes her back to some turbulent memories which prove to be disturbing both for her as well as the viewer. Neethee is about a paedophile and the abuse he subjects a little girl to. It is also about the path of revenge, along with being an exploration of ideas of justice. The narrative is predominantly constituted by a moment in the past and how a sense of being wronged can often lead people to set it right irrespective of the extent of the consequences. All of these elements are tied together for the plot to come together, one marked by its secrecy that eventually unravels to put forth its message for the audience.

Neethee: Justice Prevails | Short Film Nominee

Based on the play 'Before Breakfast' by Eugene O'Neill, the short film locates itself in the house of an Indian couple. It's a busy morning as the woman prepares tea, breakfast, and takes care of other chores before leaving for her job at a school. The very beginning establishes that this is a household marked by financial trouble and the consequent anxieties. While the protagonist continues to nag and taunt her husband about their situation, we never truly see him on screen, much like the character in the parent text who never makes an appearance on stage, his groans and moans only heard from behind the stage wings. The film aspires to be a comment on the breakdown of communication between people, while also drawing a sharp contrast between the romantic hopes of youth as opposed to what it becomes when faced with the hard realities of life.

Aval Pinne Ayaalum | Short Film Nominee

Ganesh, an aspiring film director, visits his neighbour, Merlin, under the pretence of having lost his key. As he waits for the carpenter to arrive, the neighbor makes him a cup of tea and they talk about Ganesh’s work as an assistant director which is tiresome and underpaying. 
The conversation develops and more details are shared about the director's plans to work on a feature film. The project has a strong female protagonist who has built a vast empire for herself. Further, he says that Merlin would be the perfect fit for this role which draws favourable interest from her. He even prompts the film to be a low-budget one and thus, convinces Merlin to fund the film as well. It is through this exchange that the film shares its message about seeking and grabbing opportunity, and to forever be on one's feet to survive the extremely competitive film industry.

Saavi| Short Film Nominee

A married couple, who went against their respective families' wishes to be with someone outside of their community, now finds themselves hitting a slump. As the husband realises all his friends are occupied with their own happy lives, there is the expression of regret at having ended up in this marriage. Similarly, the wife too is shown calling up her mother to complain about her unhappiness, especially when it comes to being able to eat the food she is most used to. The film shows several instances that further mark the lack of compatibility and the desire to do and enjoy things together. However, just when the viewer is convinced of the deep unhappiness between the two characters, a sweet, unexpected development awaits them at the conclusion, perhaps also allowing them a glimpse into the nature of long term relationships.

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