The fact that this short film was made in fifty hours as part of a filmmaking contest deserves special mention. Add to it an experimental, almost dreamlike treatment by Aditya Sharma and Parallax succeeds at disconcerting the viewer with its portrayal of abusive relationships and violence against women. A strong performance by Deeksha Joshi is another aspect that earns appreciation. The film applies the parallax effect to the visuals to bring to life a narrative that emphasises its theme 'Everything is Connected'. As women continue to navigate their presence in public spaces and at home, Parallax becomes a skilled and relevant take on gender, consent and sexual violence.

Parallax | Short Film of the Day

‘Gray’ is a beautifully controlled conversation on consent, relationships, blurred boundaries of intimacy, with all of them tied with an implicit, but also impactful question - are they truly blurred enough to be ignored? The title presents the idea of a lack of distinct categories, but as the story progresses, it asserts that while it is easy to dismiss neatly drawn black and white lines as gray, to eschew accountability, and instead adopt wilful blindness, things are much more clearly defined in moments of intimacy. And thus, after having established its premise, begins the film’s forward motion towards the same conclusion. 

Now, the premise in itself can very easily fall in the trap of threadbare storytelling, or lacking much-needed nuance, or devolve into emotional melodrama. However, the aforementioned control, the writing, and needless to say, the strong performances, all ensure that the film achieves its goal seamlessly. 

Along with it, there is also a subtle mention of the rampant pervasiveness of sexual assault or more aggressive ignoring of boundaries when it comes to the female experience, that further leads to the normalization of what is offhandedly touted as the “gray” territory, when indeed it is very starkly black.

Gray | Short Film of the Month

While the Indian legal system fails to decriminalise marital rape, or sexual abuse of any kind within matrimony, it is a prevalent, ugly reality of the world. Sardard makes an effort to contribute to the dialogue around the same issue, and thereby has its heart in the right place. The story is of a conversation between a father and his son ahead of the latter's imminent wedding. The premise of the film is well-intentioned, yet the narrative does not make efficient use of visuals, and under-utilises a skilled actor like Shishir Sharma. It catches the viewer by surprise, but does not fully provide them with a sense of completion at the end of it all. However, on the whole, the film deserves brownie points for its endeavour to engage with the topic of sexual abuse in a domestic setup.

Sardard | Short Film Nominee

One day, something fateful happens to the protagonist of the film, Swetha, when her photographs are posted over social media without consent. Her romantic partner is the man behind them, and he refuses to remove them even in the face of all her pleading, as well as the threat of reporting him to the police. 

Swetha bids her time, and when she is ready, she exacts her revenge. By presenting the story, the narrative offers a comment on cybercrime and the misuse of technology to exploit women. It also closes with the reminder to never give up on the good fight against these malicious elements in society.

Kadhalukku Mariyadhai Enge | Short Film Nominee

Marriage can often prove to be a very oppressive institution where women end up with the short end of the stick. Denied of agency and sometimes even the basic right to exercise their will, especially when it comes to the matters of the bedroom, they are left struggling to protect themselves from the power patriarchy equips the husband with. The short film brings to life all of these issues by taking us into a single night between a couple where the woman has been forced into the marriage. As attempts of a sexual encounter progress on the part of the husband towards his unwilling wife, the plot presents its primary concerns to the audience.

Consent | Short Film Nominee

The short film's dedicated aim is to further a conversation around consent, sexual abuse and the many forms it can take in a woman's life. It further deals with disconcerting, but the extremely relevant issue of marital rape, and an eventual acceptance of trauma. When the story opens, it introduces us to two women who are in a sticky situation with their mother. With the latter having found a pack of condoms during a surprise visit to her daughters' house, the former now grapple with how to appease her. In the process, the aforementioned themes are presented to the viewer for them to engage with. A project of limited sources, the film still presents a sincere endeavor to you, offering an honest interaction with its core ideas.

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