The short film is a philosophical engagement with notions of existence, self and the endless pursuit of desires in life. It's marked by its layered narrative that falls within the boundary of the abstract, opening itself to different interpretations. The protagonist finds a small chest whose contents are undisclosed to the viewer. He immediately takes it home, hiding it in a dark, quiet corner of his house. It is the search, attainment and finally securing this object that comes to mark his entire existence. Sometimes it makes him jolt upright in the dead of the night, other days it's the reason for him to jump out of bed during the day. It torments and tortures him and he knows no rest until he has found the object in his possession again (to perhaps lose it all over again), even if it means shutting out the rest of the world. The film uses a narrative marked by an approach that withholds as much as it reveals, and yet ensures that its message is conveyed lucidly, thereby enabling it to succeed.

Iruttai Thediya Samayangal | Short Film of the Day

The title of the film is a direct communication of everything it wants to convey - the toxicity that often defines romantic relationships. Raghav is an aggressive, abusive partner to Lekha. This aspect of his personality spills in all other parts of his life and he ends up in brawls and fist-fights often until life reaches a point of no return. 

A terrible development occurs, post which Raghav’s life would never be the same again. The film exhibits deep potential in terms of writing, as well as its camerawork of long handheld shots. These two categories support 'Toxic' immensely in the communication of its ideas, and define an approach that should definitely be applied in future projects.

Toxic | Short Film Nominee

A group of men plan a theft - of a figurine, a painting and a book called Vivartha, if they are able to procure it. The plan is set for success, with the building and the specific house being mostly empty save for a man, the only inhabitant who is completely bed-ridden due to paralysis. 
The robbers are confident of their actions which is why when things begin going downhill, it takes them more than a while to realize that something is terribly wrong with their surroundings. The cost at which this realization comes is too high and irrevocable for all of them. The story is marked by a sincere attempt to invoke horror and thrill, even if it means the characters have to go down a path of no return.

Vivartha | Short Film Nominee

A child's education is a basic right, but unfortunately in several parts of India, it has become a luxury. This short film is a reminder of the same reality in a world where even sincere students struggle to go to school and get an education. It is set in a small village in Tamil Nadu where, because many families cannot afford private education, local children go to government schools. However, owing to changes in government policies, several schools are shut down towards the end of the summer vacation. Consequently, our protagonist, a young boy who has been counting down days till he gets to resume his education, has nowhere to go. The film wants to be a moving portrayal of his desire to be a student in the face of complete lack of opportunities available for many children like him. The story is simple and straight, equipped with camerawork that shows potential, along with a relevant message to put across to its audience.

Vagupparai 4b | Short Film Nominee

Vectors is a complex film that attempts to explore quite a few threads in the same narrative. The idea is to
explain the life and fate of a character through the geometrical concept of vectors. A teenaged boy, a school-topper and a student of Class XII, has gone on a killing spree. In the span of a
day, he has committed a rape, a murder and a robbery, and wants to surrender. Questions of what is real and what isn't are invoked, as is of the location of education in the lives of the characters. There is also roping in of peer pressure and substance abuse. The narrative moves
back and forth to drive home his actions and their consequences, but the more the threads are
introduced the more the film starts unraveling.

Vectors | Short Film Nominee

The film aims to explore the relationship between a mother and her child. Through the story of a psycho killer who derives sadistic pleasure out of torturing his victims, it tries to invoke the same sentiment. His latest victim is given the choice of calling any one person from his phone. If the call gets answered, he will be killed, but if no one answers it, the killer would let him go. As the audience awaits the fate of this helpless man, the film makes a penultimate attempt to prove its point, finally concluding with another reminder of the importance of a mother’s love in a person’s life.

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