The Character takes its time introducing you to its world bit by bit. Time is spent on each detail, be it the meticulous cleaning of a tea-cup, enjoying a rendition of La Vie En Rose, a foreign film, or simply smoking late into the night …until the sustained calm is broken by a disturbing sound. The sole character and protagonist does a notable job of adding to the atmosphere established so far with his performance. 

Once the viewer has been made aware that mischief is truly afoot, they are given a longer glimpse into the world, one where the many complexities of the human mind are allowed articulation. Faring less only in the department of sound, The Character comes across as a devoted story of creativity and darkness, and the manner in which the two can come to be linked with one another, further allowing the fulfillment of its title as well.

The Character | Short Film Nominee

The short narrative presents a sweet tale that borrows from surrealism and fantasy, all along tying it together with music and romance. A narrator plays on a ukulele and introduces the viewer to the matter at hand - red crystals of unknown origin, but those which find themselves located at the heart of eternal love. Next, an element of tragedy enters the plot. If on the one hand, a woman looks for a red crystal she hurled at the beach only a single day ago, a groom abandoned at his wedding altar by the woman who was going to marry him is also present at the site, on the other. As the paths of the three collide - the strange, eccentric narrator with a flair for storytelling, the rejected groom, and the hapless woman - the story comes into its own. Additionally, at the conclusion awaits a dark development that serves as a dedicated endeavor to enhance the plot further.

Phool Kumari Ki Geet Maala | Short Film of the Day

At the film's core is a simple premise - the ambition and dreams of glory of a young filmmaker which is tied with extremist elements within the story. However, the manner which is adopted to portray the same is far from simple - it shows the desire to innovate, to experiment, and not be hesitant of stepping out of one's comfort zone.

 In the process, a meta-narrative of sorts is produced which offers political commentary, a plot which is very self-aware and therefore sometimes invokes humor at its own expense and very deliberately so, mixes elements of surrealism with humor and violence, and ties it all together as the completed product of the film. 

 The non-linear narrative takes us into Alka's world and her very devoted attempts to tell a "politically visceral" story. With a hat-tip to Roland Barthes in its title, the film brings all of this, and some more, to life, ensuring that its storytelling and the execution of the plot remain fresh in tonality while, at the same time, engaging and entertaining the viewer throughout.

Ek Film Director Ki Maut | Short Film Nominee

The film is marked by an old world charm. It's physical embodiment is achieved in perhaps the big house inhabited by the protagonist. The visuals of the property itself are capable of invoking in the viewer a wistfulness for the past, maybe constituted by childhood reminisces of small-town houses. The house, however, serves another purpose - one of pronouncing the emotional isolation of the protagonist, more than the physical one. Living alone with only a domestic help as his sole companion, he finds himself preoccupied with memories of an unrequited romance. It is in this manner that the film becomes about love, loss, longing and heartache, but in so many ways also about the overarching patterns of life beyond a romantic relationship, for who can separate these emotions from the universal nature they come to acquire with regards to all of the other travails of life. The film adopts a quiet approach to share its story with the viewer, while being further marked by effortlessly comedic moments which remain beautifully honest in their authenticity, allowing the narrative to convey its intentions in a notably skilled manner.

Aprajita | Short Film of the Day

‘Pavi’s Fool’, loosely based on Anton Chekov’s short story, ‘A Joke’, is singular in the voice it adopts to share all its intentions. A young woman, the protagonist Pavi, finds herself walking a tightrope between reality and dreams. The same blurring of boundaries endeavors a portrayal in the visual and narratorial progression of the film. 

Through a world of tarot cards and smoke-filled rooms, of strange, unnamed characters, and Pavi’s fixation on a man called Roshan, the realm of the film is conjured. As she struggles with ideas of love, companionship, and what her dreams truly mean, the film offers a skilled and coherent treatment of its ideas. The end result is unique and intriguing, even if the storytelling is a little overpowered by stylistic choices in the communication of all of this.

Pavi's Fool | Short Film Nominee

From the premise itself, the film wants to make several important comments about the idea of identity, nationalism and politics in a country that is battling a hypersensitive atmosphere. It brings in the cruel and violent treatment of Kashmiris by some members of perhaps a fringe or extremist group on a college campus. They can be assumed to be students or youth leaders backed by political parties or both - the film does not clarify these details. While the intention of the narrative is to further dialogue on the topic of dissent, it could have perhaps gained from a more organic pace. This, in turn, would have allowed it to benefit from a little more coherence in the development of events, and elevate it higher than where it already stands.

Vividh Bharti | Short Film Nominee

The film plunges us headlong into a moment of extreme tension between Shaurya and Ishita. They have been together for four years, gradually building a life for themselves, only to now have come dangerously close to its end. During the night of this heated argument, Ishita storms out of the house in a fit of rage. The narrative, thus, comes to be the exploration of a specific moment and its many consequences. Life has brought our two characters at a crossroads where the choice is between passion and an unknown path, and premeditated plans and pragmatism. The film employs a long single-take to introduce us to its world, as well as exhibits potential in terms of storytelling which, though young, should definitely be developed in a similar vein in future projects.

Support | Short Film Nominee

'Pravasi.jpeg' presents an overlap of two disparate elements - a man robbed of even the basic opportunity to reach home in time during the pandemic, and a young woman who is located within a space of privilege that remains unachievable for the man. 

While the former has walked a long distance to complete his journey and reach home, the latter, a photographer has come seeking to capture some frames for her camera. As the two worlds collide, with their own limited understanding of the other, the narrative is formed. 

There is further the attempt to rope in symbolism and a flight from the reality at hand to invoke a realm where an individual finds himself reduced to a prop of sorts, unable to actively participate in a narrative building he is now at the heart of. It would be interesting to see more engagement with similar thematic concerns by the team, albeit with tighter control on storytelling and execution of the plot.

Pravaasi.jpeg | Short Film Nominee

The short film opens with the tone of an autobiographical documentary, but soon reveals its true nature, that of a mockumentary. Once that has been ascertained by the viewer, they find themselves delving deeper and deeper into the world of the protagonist who uses the name of his online persona, Krodhraj. 

Rejected in love and battling heartbreak, he sets on a path of redefining love and its many complexities. With bizarre ideas, well-intended but marked by their absurdity, he moves from one aspect to another, sharing them all with the audience. 

The end product of the film is an expression of the desire to experiment with the various aspects of weaving a narrative - be it music, visual style, aesthetics or the overall feel. It should definitely be honed further to present more fine-tuned results to the audience in the future.

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