The premise of the film is straightforward and simple - the selfless dedication of a mother towards her son who is slow in realising and appreciating its value. The narrative does a wonderful job of conveying this through small acts of affection and kindness that a mother does for her child - sometimes chiding him, sometimes surprising him, but never being anything less than loving and caring towards him. The son, on the contrary, finds himself preoccupied with his own friends and love life, celebrating his birthday with them, until the realisation dawns upon him. Sheeba Chaddha is most convincing and endearing as the mother, striking just the right chords in terms of chemistry and performance. The film is constituted by visually pleasing frames that help to further enhance the story. Despite its simplicity and complete absence of any complex tools, the film manages to win the viewer over and leave them with a sense of warmth and tenderness.

Special Day | Short Film of the Day

As we are met with a girl right before she leaves her bed and jumps into the day, the title suggests that this morning is a little out of the ordinary. The moment she begins scrolling down her phone, looking for birthday wishes with grogginess still in her eyes, our guess is confirmed, and we then become equal participants in her morning routine. Amidst it all, however, a fallen earring lies ignored on the floor, and a sense of something amiss never truly leaves the narrative. 

The writing does a notable job of conjuring this suggestion of unease, not revealing its cards until the very juncture when the final revelation begins. The charming protagonist ensures that we are deeply involved in her world of music and chirpiness before we begin to preempt what is about to unfold. The seamless edit and visuals together become the most marked strengths of the film, offering a completed whole to the viewer to interact with.

Birthday | Short Film of the Day

The film starts along a dark corner in the night, an image that would come to define the rest of the narrative both visually and emotionally. A man speaks with his estranged wife on her birthday. Bela, on the other hand, is quick to end this conversation, not allowing him into their twenty-year-old daughter's life. 

The grief of being estranged from his family, and having never met his daughter, pushes him into a drunken stupor. When he takes a shared cab with a young woman the same night, he is a complete nuisance to both her and the driver. However, this car ride won’t be like any he has taken. Though the film could have gained from tighter control of its lighting, even if employing shadows and darkness as a core component, it remains a sincere endeavor in storytelling, marked by the dedication of all the performances to bolster the same.

The Quest | Short Film Nominee

The film opens on the day of the protagonist's birthday, but she is far from feeling the cheer. The story develops gradually and organically to reveal the events that have led to this sense of despondency. The birthday this year invokes the memory of the same day the previous year, and thus begins a narrative of grief, loss and regret. The film, though about a relationship shared between a father and daughter, also becomes about the process of grieving, and eventually letting go and finding closure. It invokes all of these emotions for the viewer, and offers a comprehensive narrative as a complete whole constituted by a beginning, middle and end.

Most Viewed

Genres

Awards

Follow Us

Quick Links