The narrative primarily deals with the isolation and despair of a boy who has recently gotten his heart broken. With the opening visual of a snake slithering over his body as he hyperventilates in fear, the film takes the viewer deeper into his loneliness. The visuals are dim lit and empty with the surroundings being a direct echo of the protagonist's emotional state. As he is gripped by all-consuming love, there is no other companion to be found in the house except for the grim, dejected looking bust of a man, quietly observing the scene from the margins. The film draws attention to a deeply stigmatised aspect of society that leads to the misery and agony of countless people. As relationships get mired in the desperate need to achieve societal acceptance and a burning desire to stick to the normative, what would be the fate of so many who dare to step out of this structure? The film raises the same question and complements its visuals with a notable soundtrack and performances to drive its message home.

Yours Truly | Short Film Nominee

The plot of ‘Tussle’ is centered around a pen drive, one that contains extremely incriminating details about several powerful people and their respective organizations. As members from each join the bid to acquire it, more specifically, Jake and his former mentor, David, the film presents its carefully constructed world to you. It is marked by stylized action which is free-flowing and seamless without any awkward punches (pun intended). 
Though the visual department has a limitation of resources and capacity, owing almost entirely to the fact that the whole film is shot on a smartphone, it exhibits a deep investment of thought and skill in making the progression of events come to life. The very endeavor of storytelling is marked by unmissable devotion and sincerity, despite the young voice of the filmmaker, and thus, should definitely be explored and developed in future projects.

Tussle | Short Film Nominee

The short film is a modern day parable about kindness, rebirth, and hope. It weaves a competent story to share the same message with the viewer. A blind man works hard at selling pens by the roadside, somehow making ends meet for both him and his mother. However, because he is left vulnerable, there are those around him who do not hesitate from taking advantage of him. 

Despite being robbed of a crucial sum of money, his heart does not harden, and he continues to approach the world with kindness. It is this unwavering sense of always helping others, no matter the situations meted out to him, that indeed aids in making the world a better place, suggests the narrative. Though a little heavy on the sentimental value, the film is well-intentioned and leaves the viewer with an important message about the importance of kindness, generosity and their role in helping someone reform and mend their ways.

Puthiyaa Paarvai | Short Film Nominee

The short film is a well-meaning story about the importance of honing one’s talent and skill with dedication, even if it sometimes means taking a less traditional route. The same idea is pronounced by introducing us to Seena, a boy who skips school in order to work at a local garage. However, this is in direct opposition to her mother’s wishes who would rather have him rise in the world by way of an education. 

A daily wage laborer herself, exhaustion and the physical exertion get to her one day, leading to tragedy striking in young Seena’s life. The story, though marked by a little inconsistency in narratorial progression, thus comes into its own, finally making it clear for the viewer what it had set out to achieve with its rags-to-riches plot line.

Prapthi | Short Film Nominee

The plot of the film is constituted by an engagement with the binary of good and evil, represented visually by metaphors and symbols of light and darkness. Because the film also interacts with abstraction to share its intentions, it demands all of the viewer's attention to truly keep up with the developments unfolding before them. There is further a suggestion of a constant battle between these two sides of black and white and how the actions of an individual are achieved depending on who vanquishes whom. While this is a philosophical proposition not all would agree with, it does not keep the film from coming across as a sincere endeavour.

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