One of the most important goals of art is to bring reformative change, to eventually make this world a better place. Its aim is to strive for an inclusive society where people of all genders and sexual orientations are allowed to live freely and without fear. The documentary film is an important step in the same direction. 

It offers not only a lucid and comprehensive, but also poignant and sincere account of a transgender boy's struggle to come to terms with his identity. Born as Ritika, but now having chosen an existence for himself as Ritwik, the protagonist shares with the viewer his mental health struggles, past failures in romance and society's inability to make him feel comfortable with his decisions even after all these years. What began as a sense of deep discomfort in his clothes and skin as a child, and briefly also came to be viewed as a mental illness by his parents, has now become a powerful assertion of an identity in a world that is obsessed with forcing everything into its own rigid categories. The overarching message of the narrative remains loud and clear - one about every person's right to subscribe to the gender they want to and are most comfortable with. In the process, doing its bit to further the cause, Tamas offers a beautiful and intelligent portrayal of an issue which requires more conversation and dialogue around it in the mainstream.

Tamas: From Ritika to Ritwik | Short Film of the Day

The scene is of a dark night when a man is in a hurry to get to his native village which he left a decade ago. The reason for the rushed trip, making him drive into the lateness of the hour, is to sell an ancestral property. After finally having secured a buyer, this is perhaps a narrow window to get the property off his hands, explaining the urgency to get there in time. Now that the premise of the film is in place, it allows itself to play with darkness, concealing more than it reveals, using shadows and sounds to conjure an eerie atmosphere for the viewer. It's biggest tool to invoke an element of horror is simply a voice, an unhappy, enraged voice, and owing to the manner in which the narrative is weaved, that turns out to be more than sufficient.

Navigator | Short Film of the Day

The story of the film endeavours to tap into several emotions - heartache, professional success, moving on and all that is left behind in the wake of the inexorable passage of time. Most of the drama plays out in a single scene, one which consists of a conversation between two people. It is soon discovered that they are past lovers, both having moved ahead with their lives. But have they really? The film invokes the question and leaves it up to the reader to answer in whichever manner they deem feet. The action also changes in tonality and setting as it nears its conclusion. While the characters may have turned to the past to seek perhaps answers, maybe a closure of sorts, will they truly find it?

Galpa Alpa | Short Film Nominee

The short film opens on a harmless note, a man asking his domestic help to fetch him ghee from the kitchen. However, before the viewer can write the scene off as a mundane occurrence in a regular Indian household, the unease of the help is made clear. She is distracted and lost, perhaps preoccupied with something darker and more disconcerting. The plot develops to reveal a lovely juxtaposition of privilege and deprivation, of a cushy urban existence that talks of slight weight gains and lazing around the house, alongside a migrant labourer crisis of a country that battles a pandemic. The contrast is foregrounded in a potent manner, allowing the film to succeed at putting forth its concerns notably before the audience.

Brouhaha | Short Film Nominee

A young man speaks with another called Bramha. The latter is hesitant to share the story of his past at first. However, soon he opens up, and a narrative marked by intrigue and darkness unfolds. The storytelling ropes in philosophical and existential questions about morality, right and wrong, sinning, and repentance. There is also the suggestion of bad deeds catching up with the doer, ensuring that they are unable to break out of the cycle of their malicious actions. 

The film further invokes the binary of the two identities and lives of the same man, the sage Balmiki and the dacoit Dashyu Ratnakar. The duality prevails throughout the narrative, expressing its ideas and messages with clarity and ease at the film’s conclusion, leaving one with a story crafted with care and meticulousness.

Balmiki | Short Film Nominee

Addiction and substance abuse are behind several malpractices in society that include violence, self-afflicted and that which is meted out to others, suicide and loss of precious human potential. The short film does a notable job of drawing our attention to this issue. It employs a smooth edit, and complementary visuals to share its intentions, while also revealing the underbelly of seedy drug deals between unsuspecting youth, and peddlers who care for little beyond their money. On the whole, the film becomes a relevant narrative about a very pressing issue. The same is presented to us by portraying the plight of the hapless protagonist who battles the demons of addiction in a lonely, isolated corner of his life.

Aaa - Addiction Alert Awake | Short Film Nominee

A goat herder, Gopi, is one day visited by a strange man in the forest. The man, Kesba, leaves him with a goat to take care of. A little before this we are also introduced to Gopi as someone battling terrifying nightmares, something that also portends what the rest of the plot has to offer. The two soon come to overlap in a manner that would alter the protagonist's fate irrevocably. A world of outdoors, nature and the unknown that lurks within it is constructed for the viewer in the film. The final result shows dedication in terms of storytelling and the primary performance, even if not without a few misses within the sound department. The background score, however, is chosen with care to bring this reality to life.

Pretaranya | Short Film Nominee

Trigger Warning: Graphic content, animal cruelty 
The intention of the narrative is to bring to life a conversation around mental health. The approach adopted to achieve the same is marked by the philosophical musings of a protagonist who has been battling mental health issues for nine years now. The inability of his peers to understand or offer him the support that he needs, leaves him feeling more isolated and alone. 

The narrative unfolds against shots of the preparation of chicken gravy as well as someone enjoying chicken biryani. As soon as the viewer lets their guard down, they are met with visuals of the cruelty this preparation entails against animals. By using the cruelty, and perhaps even apathy of humans towards the animals around them, be it in the form of fodder for their meals, or their inability to hear the cries of someone in need, an overlap is achieved for the film to share its message with the viewer in a notable manner.

Chicken Curry | Short Film Nominee

Maa Pari Kie Haba is a docu-drama following the aftermath of the devastating 1999 Super Cyclone in Odisha which had destroyed thousands of lives. It follows a government worker as he visits the affected areas after five years for verification and relief purposes. His last visit is to the house of the school principal and her son, both of whom practice different religions. 
Weighed down under stereotypes and orthodoxy, the government official is unable to grasp this reality and asks for an explanation from the mother. She humbly shares how losing their families in the cyclone, brought them together and gave hope for the future. She explains her relationship with the son to be purely a connection of love and understanding, free of any religious prejudice. The film aims to revive acceptance and love for all, irrespective of the many human-made divisions and boundaries.

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