The film’s story is a heartfelt engagement with dreams, and what they mean for its different characters. Located amidst the very real struggles of survival and somehow making ends meet is our little protagonist. Pintu dreams of a world where he does not have to go to school to an indifferent, lazy, and cruel teacher. He also dreams of fancy sneakers and a future away from the brick kiln where his father works. His aspirations are not simply confined to that but further include the desire for a life like Muniya’s, a peer who does not go to school and instead helps her mother with domestic chores. Muniya, on the other hand, covets a world where children like her go to school. 
Pintu’s parents try to hold on to their jobs or seek out new ones, in the hope of securing some kind of stability in their lives. The film further interweaves frustration and hope, two sides of the same coin, with all of it, alongside the constant effort that is required to keep life afloat. It presents a glimpse into a harsh, exploitative unfair world where a little boy still dreams of seemingly petty things like branded shoes, and a space away from his callous school. 
There is a slight loosening of control when it comes to visual consistency as the film reaches its conclusion, but one which is easy to overlook in the face of all the other strengths it presents. From a screenplay marked by long, fixed frames, to performances, notable and endearing in equal measure, to its world-building, authentic and meticulous throughout, 'Pintu' incorporates them all, and remains steadfast in the exploration of its thematic concerns explored from the eyes of children and adults alike.

Pintu  | Short Film of the Month

A group of young men at the heart of intense caste politics form the film's backbone. With the police in cahoots with the upper caste Yogesh, there is nothing stopping his reign of terror over the Dalits of this little town, Kasganj, in the northern parts of India. Alongside it, the innocent but resilient romance of Sheetal and Chandan is beginning to define itself in the face of the oppressive caste forces. 

The town is home to Thakur Gali, a lane through which no lower caste procession shall pass. When Chandan is denied permission to let his wedding party through, a terrible story develops that holds the potential to redefine the existing cultural and political map. With the imminent election, another influential member of the group, Badri, has quite a different approach than Yogesh to the increasingly rising tensions. 

The film is marked by evident potential when it comes to storytelling and constructing a world rooted in a terribly unsettling reality. It further exhibits the dedication of its cast and crew to bring all of it to life. The narratorial interweaving, constituted by action, deceit, intrigue, violence, and emotional complexity, should definitely be explored more in future endeavors.

Kasganj | Short Film of the Month

A single, long take is our initial introduction to the world of the film. We are met with Ameira and Kanak, two young lovers who have left everything behind in their hometown, to move to a different city and start life afresh. When the film opens, however, there seems to be a layered conflict that is causing Ameira to question the entire nature of the relationship. The ensuing screenplay, though not without a few rough edges, brings to life beautiful writing and effortless chemistry of the actors. Care is taken to ensure that the conversation between the two is not only free-flowing and smooth but also engaging, and one that draws the viewer deeper into their lives. Consequently, the storytelling and performances become the film’s most notable strength. Its entire duration remains marked by delicateness and a subtle approach to human emotions, two aspects that work wonderfully in the film’s favor.

Ittu Si Baat  | Short Film of the Month

The documentary presents a concise, but compelling account of the many tribal identities in Wayanad, Kerala. Along with offering a glimpse into the many threads that make up this whole, which is far from being a monolithic entity, it further introduces the viewer to the efforts of those who are trying to conserve primarily the linguistic aspect of it. For instance, as the narrative portrays for the viewer, each tribe had songs for different occasions. These songs, in the process, became their history, and the loss of these tunes and rhymes is tantamount to a huge loss of a cultural identity we might never get back. The film draws your attention to all of these aspects of a society that operates and thrives far from our urban existence, and retains all the lyricism and poetry of its subject while doing so. The visuals of the film are especially beautiful and are thereby able to support its subject matter efficiently, allowing the final product to be an engrossing and insightful documentary.

Kanavu  | Short Film of the Month

The narrative employs no dialogue and makes its message emphatically clear by way of visuals brought to life with competence and skill. The performances remain meaningful throughout, further aiding this endeavor. 
A woman arrives in a corner of nature where a man awaits her. The two share a wordless exchange, their eyes conveying sombreness, and the man moves to paint her portrait. A deep sadness never leaves her eyes, a downward turn of the face remains forever present. The same is inevitably captured on the canvas as well until the painter decides to try something else. 
The short film carries a noble intention, drawing the viewer’s attention to widowed women who find themselves battling immense obstacles. The message remains one of hope and love, and forever supporting one another as a society, especially during a time of adversity.

Beyond the Frame | Short Film of the Month

The film deals with a heavy subject but does so without weighing itself down with didactic messaging or moralizing. It opens with quiet visuals of an empty house, save for a solitary figure of a man. As the visuals are interwoven with the vastness of the sea, a story of pain, and the inability to reconcile it, emerges. 

The protagonist is about to commit a terrible act from which there is no turning back. He has made up his mind, and nothing can break his resolve now. The screenplay remains marked by very little dialogue, the consequent lacuna filled by the performance, both of which complement each other. The narrative presents its message loudly and emphatically, and the various elements of storytelling and narratorial progression come together in a complete manner to support the final result.

Body  | Short Film of the Month

The short film is beautifully inspired by Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis in which the protagonist wakes up to find himself transformed into a cockroach. Borrowing the same metaphor, it attempts to show how humans are no less than insects in an arbitrary, murky world of poverty, chronic diseases, and the constant struggle to survive. The color palette of the visuals is of dirty greens, browns, and greys, to further invoke a sense of filthiness associated with insects, or humans who are not rendered any more valuable than them in a society where a father and his son fight with the latter's oral cancer. Amidst these hues of dirt and filth, the red scarf of the boy stands out. It perhaps serves to draw the viewer's attention to how he comes to be the only voice of hope in the narrative. However, this voice is soon snuffed out since a bright crimson has no place amidst illness and pain, a folly that will be realized immediately, but not soon enough.

Metamorphosis | Short Film of the Month

‘Reduva’ or radio is a story marked by immense visual drama that very adroitly portrays all the thematic preoccupations of the film. Ramphal cherishes a gift from long ago, presented to him on the night of his marriage - a radio. His constant companion now in old age, the gadget remains deeply embedded in his life. 

Alongside this endearing equation, however, is the alcoholism of his unemployed son who only brings trouble home in the form of domestic abuse, drunken brawls, and injuries that become a financial strain on the already struggling family. 

The film ropes it all in with seamless visuals that are sustained with control, ensuring that every emotion is presented to the viewer lucidly. While there may be a sense of hope in the manner Ramphal’s grandson comes to his aid and reveals an unexpected, precocious moment of tenderness, the circumstance with his son continues to deteriorate. The story that is thus presented to the viewer is meaningful and involving, allowing the film to share all its intentions with ease.

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