What happens if your biggest fear was standing or walking? Not because you have a physical disability, but simply because your mind has convinced you that that indeed is the worst possible fate. Such is the life of someone struggling with stasiphobia. The short film gives us a moving glimpse into an ordinary day of a young boy who suffers from the phobia. As he struggles to answer the door, having already given up on his ringing phone, the viewer is introduced to an unfathomable reality, one where your own mind has turned against itself. While Akash Pandey's thought to talk about a reality known by very few in an intelligently titled film is noteworthy, it's further supplemented by Aditya Pandey's convincing performance. The short film also deserves praise for the use of minimalistic frames and resources in a visual product where its cinematography could have been a disadvantage.

Floor Is Lava | Short Film of the Day

The narrative of the film is a conversation about the pitfalls of the creative process. It introduces us to the struggles of a writer who is unable to overcome self-doubt, which in turn, leaves him incapable of finding new ideas for a script. As he consumes cinema, looking for inspiration for a film of his own, he shows enough self-consciousness to be aware that he might simply be wasting all this time in the name of 'research'. However, this realization only serves to worsen the stress he is battling. The short film, thus, becomes an exploration of the turmoil that often plagues artists, the frustration of not being able to express yourself creatively, the pursuit of temporary comfort in bodily pleasures and the deep despair that eventually accompanies it. Along with the dedication to share its story, the narrative also ropes in the darkness that such a situation entails, often leaving one feeling emotionally isolated and drowning in hopelessness. And yet, all of it is tied up with an unexpected twist, as the conclusion reveals to the viewer's surprise.

Not Mine To Keep | Short Film Nominee

To be uncomfortable with your sexuality or body is an experience only the person undergoing it can truly understand. For an outsider, especially in a heteronormative society where any movement away from what is considered the norm is seen as a deviant act, it often becomes a subject of ridicule, mockery and even discrimination. The perfect metaphor for it would be that only the wearer knows where the shoe bites, and it is indeed this analogy that becomes the idea guiding the narrative of the film. Made within a time frame of fifty hours, it takes us into the life of a character who battles the same dilemma of trying to fit into society, while internally being fully aware that he is different. The struggle and the protagonist's engagement is presented forth in a convincing and notable manner, allowing In My Shoes to communicate its message lucidly.

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