A man is lazing in his room, watching something on a laptop, when he is interrupted by two disgruntled, indifferent cops. They have arrived at his doorstep looking for his missing girlfriend, Akshaya. However, because she has been off the grid for barely a day, both cops are sure she will eventually turn up at one of her friends’ house. With the case at hand taken care of, they decide to allow themselves a moment to unwind which is then spent in complaining about their job, colleagues and seniors. The film has a remarkable approach to storytelling. The manner in which it blurs genres, from dramedy to thriller, is also notable. Additionally, a theatrical quality is applied to its visuals to further bring the story to life, while confining them to the fixed space of a single room. All of these elements together lead to a successful execution of the plot and narrative.

The Dude and the White Rose | Short Film of the Day

The film is a skilled endeavor of weaving a story of thrill, intrigue, mystery and the eventual coming together of them all. A hit-and-run case has left two men in a complex situation, one that can potentially land them in jail and alter the course of their lives forever. 

Sean, a hardworking police officer, is leaving no stone unturned in getting to the heart of the matter, until a truly unexpected development occurs. Employing the twist, the narrative does a notable job of catching the viewer unaware with its writing and plot. It further presents to them a dubious circumstance involving Sean’s sister, Sophie. The screenplay and narratorial progression deliberately lead expectations in a particular direction, only to subvert them eventually. Even though parts of the second half of the film do no exhibit the same smoothness as the rest of it, on the whole it remains a zealous, sincere creative end result, one which paves the path for more similar storytelling in the future.

The Turn Ahead | Short Film Nominee

The film shares a pertinent comment about class and the many ways class-based exploitation disenfranchises people of the most basic rights. When two cops find a man passed out at a construction site, they immediately nab him under suspicion of theft. Despite all his pleas and attempts to provide a clean track record, no one offers him any respite or benefit of the doubt. 

His employers, corrupt builders themselves who flout laws, or are simply unwilling to engage with the cops, wash their hands off him, leaving the unfortunate man at the mercy of the officers. When they refuse to believe in his innocence, despite all his pleading, there is only one way left for him to turn. By presenting the desperate protagonist and all his futile attempts, thus, along with notable performances, the narrative offers insight into society's power structures and corruption.

Lost in Labour | Short Film Nominee

Right at the opening of the film, Hanif, a contract killer, betrays his partner Tyagi, and pays a hefty price for it. His brutal murder at the hands of the protagonist also establishes betrayal as an important thematic concern of the plot. The rest of the narrative develops to include violence, a horrifying twist of events, and the suggestion of more than one life being lost in the tumult of it all. The protagonist is a police officer who is late for his anniversary celebration. However, calls from his wife only enrage him, revealing the anger simmering within the character. The portrayal of the police officer is achieved with skill which, in turn, strengthens the film. The screenplay is structured to invoke horror, thrill, and a sense of suspense within the viewer as it develops. Exhibiting a want of tighter control on its edit and sound mixing, the end result still presents an earnest effort to conjure a narrative marked by the darkest secrets, and a grotesque subversion of a celebratory occasion like an anniversary.

Happy Anniversary | Short Film Nominee

Two teenaged boys are looking to score some weed, and this desire leads them to a local peddler called Pablo Escobar. However, after they arrive to collect their stash, little do they know how chaotic everything is about to get. Soon, the presence of a strange, bloodied, blind character throws everything out of balance. 
A brawl ensues, ensuring that Pablo is left unconscious, while his two patrons rush out of there in a state of panic. It is at this point that the narrative truly begins to unfold, introducing the viewer to all the reasons and motivations behind the progression of events so far. The film wants to weave a plot that involves drugs, violence, cops, a wronged underdog and his eventual revenge. However, in terms of visuals, it remains a mixed bag of lucid drone shoots that establish the location, and tighter visuals that could have gained from more sharpness. On the whole, 'Panic' never lets go of its forward moving motion, and eventually answers all the questions and doubts it has raised in your mind so far. Additionally, when you are about to bid it goodbye, the film leaves you with an unexpected development at its conclusion.

Panic | Short Film Nominee

Avaidha (Illegal) opens with a high-intensity situation. A man gets a phone call, followed by panic about drugs - clearly, things are not going well for him. He drives in the middle of nowhere, using a vehicle that doesn't belong to him and therefore carries secrets of its own. However, before we get into that, an explosive conversation between three characters is waiting to take you into the heart of things. Handheld, whip pan shots are then employed to try and invoke the same level of tension that the characters are feeling for the viewer as well. Additionally, the narrative also brings in unexpected moments of humour in a manner you did not see coming. However, when a sense of relief finally arrives for the distraught characters, would it truly be lasting or simply depart as quickly as it had arrived?

Avaidha | Short Film Nominee

The short film endeavours to engage with several complexities and notions of truth, betrayal and crime. A young man finds himself picked up by cops one day who are demanding his confession for a crime that he did not commit. As he is presented with the option of a shorter jail term, allowing him the chance to start his life again, he refuses to budge from his decision to not confess to anything he did not commit. The narrative progresses to reveal his life experiences and employs visuals that exhibit potential to tell this story. However, when it's all said and done, what will be the fate of the protagonist? Is truth as indomitable and eternal as we believe it to be?

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