A moment of unease is put into motion the moment the story opens. However, the swift camera movement soon reveals the circumstance of the plot to be a regular day at a shoot being carried out between two people. The scene that is being executed is marked by its high-intensity, and it is at this juncture that the opening sentiment of discomfort comes back into play. However would it adequately prepare you for the consequent developments, those that would come to be defined by violence and aggression?

The Perfect Take | Lockdown Film Challenge

The film makes an enthusiastic effort of combining visuals and stories of four different characters in four different states. These visuals are then tied together with a poetic narration that allows the film to be a positive message, a source of cheer for the viewer in a world afflicted not only by coronavirus, but also uncertainty and despair.

Chaar Log Kya Bolenge | Lockdown Film Challenge

The short film begins at a grim note - a man has just entered the office of a mental health expert to talk about a strange experience. Hesitant at first, he soon opens up when the doctor ensures him that this is indeed a safe space. The account he shares involves being stuck in a strange house that eventually led him to a time period and era long gone by. The film paces itself out while weaving the tale, attempting to invoke a world that is over three decades old. The protagonist is overwhelmed by the absurdity of it all, and yet feels the desperate need to share it with someone. Further, there is also the attempt to briefly discuss issues of mental health for the uninitiated. After this session and a medication prescription, he hopes this would be the end of his troubles, but would that truly be the case? Additionally, the narrative leaves a few loose ends, whether deliberately or otherwise. It would be interesting to see them tied up in subsequent chapters of the story.

D-301| Short Film Nominee

Made within fifty hours, the short narrative is a fun and entertaining glimpse into the misadventures of a domestic help and his employer. When he arrives, he is categorically told by the man of the house to stay away from a specific room which has a reverse sign on the door. One night, tired of the mosquitoes in his corner of the house, he forces his way into the room, and the most absurd set of events begin to develop. 

The final result brings in moments of humor, all along not taking itself too seriously. Through the caricaturesque portrayal of the help, it aims to generate laughter for the viewer (even though some lines of portrayal of people of a specific class are a little too clearly defined), the overall result remains lighthearted to watch.

Reverse | Short Film Nominee

The film attempts a judicial use of a metaphor - one of death knocking at the door of a smoker. Aimed at drawing the viewer’s attention against the harms of smoking, the film employs the idea of darkness and other horrors that await smokers. A man sits by himself enjoying a cigarette. However, just when he thinks he can partake of the pleasure peacefully, a sudden noise shakes him out of it. It continues to build, yet there is little to no realisation on the part of the protagonist. He may have led himself by the hand to a very dark fate, but will he succumb to it or find a way to save himself in time?

The Last Knock | Short Film Nominee

The short film employs colour transitions and contrasting visuals of happiness and loneliness to talk about mental health. Made with the intention of raising awareness about depression, the film urges its viewers to ask for help if they find themselves struggling with despair and hopelessness. The story is of a single character who takes pills to fall asleep. The world of his dreams is full of light and colours. However, every day he wakes up to a dark, dismal reality where he struggles with mental demons on a regular basis. While he continues to use medication as crutches for falling asleep, what would be his fate, and more importantly, what is the lesson it will leave the viewer with?

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