Moonlit sky, chirping crickets and an isolated, poorly-lit courtyard set-up a dark, moody tone for the film. A young man seated on a comfortable khatiya is seen enjoying famous songs of Indian cinema on his mobile phone. After some fidgeting, he decides to put his phone aside, turn the electric bulbs off, and light up candle lanterns instead, in preparation for going to bed. Soon, the sky grows darker, clouds thunder, and an eerie atmosphere prevails, marking the presence of an uninvited guest. Set in the time of Covid-19, the film uses horror and satire to spread the message of human wellbeing, urging its viewers to follow safety protocols. It emphasizes the dangers of the pandemic and how one needs to tread lightly in a world that grapples with a pandemic.

Darrr | Short Film Nominee

The primary concern of the film is the compelling issue of exploring what freedom truly means, and its intricate relationship with the absence of fear. Once the narrative has conjured its idea of freedom for you, it moves forth to portray it in a concise manner by introducing us to a couple. 

The smiling lovers suddenly become very unsure of their safety in a public space like a roadside. The narrative heightens tension, only to puncture it in a way that presents its message about our contemporary reality loudly and clearly. The story is further taken home by competent performances who communicate it all with a frugal, but unequivocal verbal exchange.

Azaadi Mubarak | Short Film Nominee

When the film opens, the first visual is of a vast expanse of a water body. On its calm waters rests a boat, and two people in it. While one of them gently rows it, the other sits with a guitar in his hand, slowly easing the viewer into soothing music - Prelude from Bach's Cello Suite No. 1. The premise that seems to have been established so far is one of an easy calm, tied with equally docile images of nature. It is precisely for this reason that when the film reveals its true intentions, the viewer is in for a disconcerting realisation. Using the elements it has presented so far, the narrative draws your attention to the devastating effects of climate change in Assam, especially in the wake of the catastrophic floods earlier in 2020. The truth it presents forth is far from the images conjured so far, deliberately drawing a stark contrast between the beauty of nature, and the manner in which human society is gradually and insidiously tearing away at it.

Prelude Over the Flood Waters in Assam | Short Film Nominee

The film offers a very unabashed, direct glimpse into the extremely patriarchal world women inhabit, and the subsequent sexism they have to deal with on a daily basis. It presents the many statements that are made in the context of women’s safety, and then goes ahead to display the absurdity of it all. 

The ensuing narrative questions the location of men in a society that refuses to hold them accountable, simply putting all checks and balances on women, instead of looking for corrective measures for the problem itself. The characters played by the various actors are convincing, and even though the narrative is direct and simple, not venturing into the space of nuance and grey territories, it achieves precisely what it has set out to do - raise awareness and draw attention to a compelling issue.

Nazarbattu | Short Film Nominee

Women’s presence in the public space, and harassment go hand in hand in India. The short film is a portrayal of the said reality, employing a day in the life of a working woman in a metropolitan city. From her daily commute to the workspace, no corner of the world is safe from stares and other forms of sexual harassment. The narrative does a notable job of taking this a step forward and presenting the fight against it, spearheaded by the woman herself, therefore sharing a relevant comment on agency and the assertion of a woman’s presence in the world.

Nazar | Short Film Nominee

The short film is short, crisp and notable in the message it wants to leave the viewer with. It is also titled smartly, deliberately making the viewer pause and wonder - why is washing hands different for women than men? As one might grapple with the doubt, it soon reveals the reason behind this. The lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic has ensured a disturbing rise in cases of domestic violence against women. Since women's experience of a quarantine is different from the majority of their male counterparts, won't their requirements from the process of washing their hands would be different too? The film has an answer and an explanation for the same.

Handwashing Guide for Women | Short Film Nominee

The film opens on a note of chaos and activity. It is located in a house where a wedding is about to take place, and thus the festivities are in order. A man is at the center of it all, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. However, on entering the bride’s room, a disorienting realization hits him. 

The message that the narrative wants to convey is a crucial one, and it is in this communication that the final revelation of the plot lies. Though a little obscure at first glance, it soon becomes clear when the social context is presented to the viewer in a direct, unambiguous manner.

Vidya | Short Film Nominee

A very important businessman, Subramanyam, has taken time out of his terribly busy schedule in Singapore to visit his village. When he begins sharing his story, he mentions his childhood Telugu teacher, Ramaiah master, and the plot begins to unfold. At the same time, we are introduced to the said master. He is accompanied by a young woman who shares with him his love for the language. It is in the overlap of the two threads that the film’s message is communicated to the viewer, one about the significance of the language and the need to preserve it for future generations.

Sirijotha | Short Film Nominee

The endeavor of ‘Kar Bhala’ is to share a message about kindness and the reminder that what goes around does indeed come around. With this at its core, the story presents to us a rushed morning when Abhay is already late for an important meeting at his workplace. He has put another colleague, Nikhil, at the mercy of his unpunctuality and distractedness. 
Amidst it all, he also ends up misplacing his laptop which is crucial for this meeting. It is the movement from this moment of crisis to an eventual resolution in which the intentions of the plot are portrayed for the audience.

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