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.

Reduva | Short Film of the Month

'Shades of a Kite' brings to the screen a powerful narrative about a haunted house and the manner in which it threatens the safety of a family that has recently moved there. Anna, a single mother, shifts to a house in a new city with her three-year-old daughter. The film unfolds to reveal a sense of deep disconcertment which is achieved with dimly lit visuals, marked by their deliberate instability to disorient the viewer. The handheld shots when combined with the greys on screen produce an unease, and the invocation of this very sentiment allows the film to be successful in its endeavor to be a horror story. 

In terms of thought, the plot draws attention to differing ideas that conform to science and spirituality, the question of the supernatural in the logical world of mental health experts. All of this is further enhanced by beautiful animation that adds a new dimension to the story. When coupled with notable graphics and convincing performances, the film indeed becomes a successful product as well as an enjoyable viewing experience for all horror enthusiasts.

Shades of a Kite | Short Film of the Month

The film builds its world at a sustained pace. It starts off with humor and eccentricity as a man gradually tries to make sense of his new humble dwelling, to say the least. In trying to align it with his ideas of auspicious domestic placement, he bathes in the kitchen and cooks in the washroom. 
The protagonist is more than content with this. However, the circumstance is hardly inviting for his hapless, pregnant wife, Bhavna. As the conflict between the couple regarding the situation mounts, a terrible development occurs from which there is no looking away. 
What the film briefly lacks in terms of maturity of tonality, it comfortably compensates with its strong visual grammar. The notable storytelling also eventually presents a crucial metaphor, one that takes the film home in a complete, balanced manner after having lucidly communicated all that it had set out to with its premise.

Sookha Patta  | Short Film of the Month

The short film is a lovely, quiet delineation of the struggle of two men in Mumbai. It draws a wonderful and intelligent parallel between the stories of Rahi and Gurpreet who both moved to the city of dreams in pursuit of success in their respective careers. The intelligence of the narrative becomes most pronounced when it addresses the notions and deeply-set structures of class in the Indian society while talking about these characters. Despite the difference in their societal location, both Rahi and Gurpreet have similar battles to fight and demons to overcome that threaten to devour their hopes and aspirations. The film is a well-rounded product with elegant camerawork, strong performances and effortlessly smooth story-telling. If all of this wasn't sufficient to make it succeed, it further manages to make a deeply moving point about professional obstacles, class divisions and chasing your dreams, without making its propositions preachy, didactic or blatant.

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