As we are met with a girl right before she leaves her bed and jumps into the day, the title suggests that this morning is a little out of the ordinary. The moment she begins scrolling down her phone, looking for birthday wishes with grogginess still in her eyes, our guess is confirmed, and we then become equal participants in her morning routine. Amidst it all, however, a fallen earring lies ignored on the floor, and a sense of something amiss never truly leaves the narrative. 

The writing does a notable job of conjuring this suggestion of unease, not revealing its cards until the very juncture when the final revelation begins. The charming protagonist ensures that we are deeply involved in her world of music and chirpiness before we begin to preempt what is about to unfold. The seamless edit and visuals together become the most marked strengths of the film, offering a completed whole to the viewer to interact with.

Birthday | Short Film of the Day

'Wheels' is a story about grief and how it ensconces itself in the heart of a woman. The journey to this moment stems from a tragic loss, the loss of control over one’s body, followed by the struggle to accept this reality. First comes the absolute rejection of it, only to eventually be followed by a slow and steady acceptance. The trajectory that the narrative thus follows forms the body of the film. 

Dia used to be a dancer, a musician, a talented woman with friends and a lover. The inability to use her legs has now confined her to a wheelchair. Despite the attempts of her loved ones to reach out, she chooses to isolate herself, unable to come to terms with the turn life has taken. 

The narrative offers an earnest engagement with the premise, as well as the ideas and thematic concerns that it gives rise to. The end result, in the process, comes to exhibit sincerity and a deep embedded desire to portray all of these intentions.

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