‘The Family Table’ is a disturbing film to watch, simply because of how unabashedly it holds the mirror up to society. The scene, theatrical in its core and approach, is of a dining table where a group enjoys a lavish meal, while a woman, the mother, serves the food in an anxious frenzy. 

The metaphors that the ensuing drama offers are not only crucial and powerful but also executed with seamlessness and ease. The writing, screenplay, performances, and swift camera movements all aid this portrayal. As the endless appetites of those at the table continue to grow, so does the anxiety and frenzy around it, leading to the most devastating and troubling conclusions. 

By way of its story, the film presents the dysfunctionality of a familial unit that simmers under the surface, threatening to spill over at the slightest provocation. The final result becomes a very comprehensive and cohesive whole, lucid in the communication of its ideas, and competent and sophisticated in the expression of its intentions.

The Family Table | Short Film Nominee

Trigger warning: graphic, animal carcasses, sexual violence 
The violence and brutality of human appetite can truly be a destructive force. The many forms that it can take, in action and thought, can lead to even more devastating consequences, underlines the film. It presents its ideas by way of a dysfunctional family, a space marked by abuse of all kinds. 

The appetite of the patriarch of the house for mutton becomes an important preoccupation of the film, while also presenting its most pivotal metaphor. The subsequent narratorial developments are portrayed most convincingly by the performances and the screenplay. 

The narrative remains more action-centric than using verbal exchanges and, in the process, presents a powerful story you cannot look away from, no matter the extent of harsh ferocity unfolding on screen. The plot succeeds in communicating all its intentions, even if at the cost of churning the viewer’s stomach, and remains loud and clear in the message it leaves you with.

Mutton | Short Film of the Day

'Turiya' is a conversation with the different layers of consciousness, from the carnal to the subconscious and the realm of dreams, to everything else in between. Along with its experimental storytelling, complete with metaphors, it also sticks to a monochromatic palette to present all of this to the viewer. 
The narrative starts off with the state of deep sleep, traversing through dreams and wakefulness, to portray appetites of different kinds, all the while threading it together with the experiences of a young woman. The final result thus becomes the exploration of a single moment, not expanding on the causal elements or their subsequent consequences. In future, it would be quite interesting to see the premise taken a step further.

Most Viewed

Genres

Awards

Follow Us

Quick Links