Among other things, the coronavirus pandemic brought with it a new understanding of relationships, interpersonal equations and emotional isolation. It also, thus, emphasised the absolute need and desire to be able to form meaningful connections with one another. The short film brings to life an exploration of the same thought by introducing the viewer to two pen-pals who have been connected to each other via a website. As an old woman begins to share her approach to life with a woman just beginning out with adulthood and its many responsibilities, a beautiful bond is forged between the two. It is in this back and flow of experiences and stories that both are not only able to find comfort and solace in the face of all their loneliness, be it due to the pandemic or the death of a loving partner, but also a fresh way of interacting with the world that they may have otherwise forgotten.

Khat | Short Film Nominee

A dead boy’s body is found on the shore by fishermen. They conjecture about what to do with it, but are reluctant to take responsibility. The same site transforms as a beach for people where they
come for recreation or leisure, like morning walks. The seaside also belongs to dogs who wander about.
The film observes the light and shadow of the place and life, each element indifferent to each other, going about its quiet existence, perhaps serving as a metaphor for life itself.

Kinaari | Short Film Nominee

Two girls use lighthearted poetry to share with the viewer the life and times of a quarantined world. From social distancing, compulsive washing of hands, to video calls being the only mode of communication with the outside world, they take you into every aspect of their lives. The film is a sweet account of their several experiences, and how, despite it all, all of it came together to finally allow a rhythm and a sense of intimacy to their lived reality.

Here & There | 2020 Film Challenge

The narrative is an engagement with the topic of mental health and all that it entails. While taking the interview of a suicide survivor, the protagonist of the film comes across as being indifferent, rude and callous. The plot develops to reveal his internal struggles that have led him to be the person he is. The story is about depression, suicide and hope that eventually triumphs everything. Despite its noble intentions, the film does run the danger of simplifying the narrative around mental health by a small distance. However, by the end of it all, the narrative manages to pull itself together to try and leave the viewer with a sense of hope.

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