The coronavirus has wreaked havoc on society in several ways, be it financial, or in terms of health. It has completely shattered our notions of normalcy or what was once considered normative in terms of how we interacted with our professional and personal life. This has been caused by the complete blurring of the lines between the home and the world, and the documentary film is an engagement with the same thought. 

As the name suggests, it takes the viewer into the work-from-home lifestyle of a teacher, and delves into the several aspects of this change that the pandemic forced on her. While juggling household chores and her duties towards her students becomes a daily reality, the narrative invoked to communicate all of this remains controlled and quiet. It does not take shelter in any ornate devices or ostentation, or even spiral away its energy in a feverish fervour. This, in turn, becomes a decision that allows it to succeed at sharing not a story of grandeur and loftiness, but one marked by the mundane and everyday chores. 

Within its folds also lies a comment about the location of women in society where they straddle domesticity as well as the professional space in a manner that is not expected of men. In the process, the film offers an endearing, honest and sincere story, enabled and enhanced specifically by its tone and approach of subtlety and calmness.

Portrait of a Teacher  | Short Film of the Day

While the coronavirus pandemic has revealed a beautiful side of humanity in terms of community, as well as an indomitable spirit that refuses to give up, it has also revealed a far darker, twisted aspect of our personality. The racism meted out to the people from the north eastern part of the country, simply because high cheekbones and the size of someone's eyes is similar to that of the Chinese, also the country of the origin of the Coronavirus, is undeniable and brazen in the wake of the health crisis. 

The rap video draws attention to the same issue in an eloquent manner, reminding us once again of the cruelty inherent in an act of discrimination, and all that someone undergoes when subjected to it. The music video is loud and clear in its message and leaves the viewer with an emphatic rejection of this particular form of racism in India.

Don’t Call Me Corona | Short Film of the Day

The poetic narrative of the film presents to the viewer an endearing and heartwarming portrayal of a family during the national lockdown in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. While it is a fairly unprecedented time in recent history, Punarnav attempts to draw attention to the silver lining of this dark, dark cloud that has set itself upon us like a shroud. From family members suddenly turning into art connoisseurs to their dedication to Yoga and meditation, the film exhibits it all. The visuals, intelligently angled, are further supplemented by a competent voiceover. All in all, the end product becomes the glimmer of positivity we would all gain from in contemporary times.

Punarnav | Short Film of the Day

The film employs skilful shots and supplements them with a poetic narration which becomes its most notable strength. The poetry is concise and powerful and speaks on the behalf of the less fortunate. In the times of the coronavirus pandemic, as everyone gets confined indoors, the narrative draws attention to the plight of those who have been hit financially by the health crisis. There is further a sense of uncertainty the narrative attempts to draw the viewer's attention to. Covid-19 took the world by complete surprise, leaving them most unprepared to deal with everything that followed in its wake. The film wants to remind the privileged and the protected that they might be headed towards a similar fate in the future while not having the remotest idea of it in the present, thereby also becoming a plea to nurture empathy as well as kindness.

Pata Bhi Nahi Chalega | Short Film of the Day

Shot on a mobile phone, and thereby choosing to confine itself to a vertical frame, the short film develops its story in a simple manner which is devoid of any garrulous or loud devices. The plot is put together entirely by way of phone conversations which the protagonist has with different people in his lives - from family to a lover to co-workers to his landlady. It is through these conversations that several emotions are invoked which allow the film to successfully portray the lived reality of a man during the coronavirus lockdown. Amidst it all, the narrative further offers a comment on a very significant concern in contemporary times - one of uncertainty of professionals who have lost their employment in the wake of the pandemic. All of it is tied seamlessly to present forth an engaging and entertaining product, marked by its skilled visuals.

Good Time to Talk | Short Film of the Day

With an underlying sense of hope that remains invincible no matter how difficult circumstances get, the short film conjures an endearing narrative. It takes the viewer into the life of a woman during the coronavirus lockdown, the portrayal supplemented with a soulful song. As is true of everyone, she finds herself filling her days with chores and other feeble attempts at keeping oneself engaged and moving forward. However, there is another layer to the narrative for the unsuspecting viewer - one which is about celebrating the heroism of the innumerable health workers and doctors globally, in general, and in India, in particular. Thus, the film concludes as an homage to the people who continue to wage this battle at the forefront, even at the cost of compromising their own safety and health.

Baaki Sab Batein Bekar | Short Film of the Day

The isolation that has entered and ensconced itself in our lives following the coronavirus lockdown is a disturbing, but also an undeniable aspect of our lived reality. In the case of those already struggling with mental health issues or showing any signs of substance abuse, the quarantine and lockdown is capable of wreaking immense havoc. The short film attempts to draw attention to the same issue, thereby reminding the viewer to remember to stretch an offer of help where necessary, and be mindful of each others' individual struggles.

Window of the Soul | Lockdown Film Challenge

Made as a montage of glossy visuals, the short film endeavours to draw the viewer's attention to a more disturbing reality. The coronavirus pandemic has ensured that people get confined to their homes globally, and the film is a portrayal of the same. It opens on a fairly harmless note, but progresses faster than the viewer has expected so far. The film does not give in to sentimentalism or loud visuals to convey its message. Instead, it manages to invoke the right amount of discomfort, strong enough to spur the viewer into action, by an image, for instance, as simple as perfectly delicious looking food being pushed into a dustbin without a second thought. Aimed at reminding the viewer of being aware of their privilege, the film does its bit to highlight the plight of the less fortunate in a world currently struggling to get back on its feet.

Privileged Lockdown | Short Film Nominee

A one-person-production, the short film is a portrayal of a young man's confinement to a house (of sorts). As he moves from one corner to another, trying to find a purpose to his day, the vagueness and uncertainty of the lockdown is translated on screen. In that moment, are the character as well as the viewer, both quarantined in their respective physical spaces, any different from one another?

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