Employing skilful visuals, both stunning and horrifying in equal measure, the short film invokes a concern extremely relevant in contemporary times. It draws the viewer's attention to the callous indifference with which humans have abused the River Yamuna, resulting in polluting it to alarming levels. The approach the narrative adopts to present this concern forth is comprised of stills and photographs, mapped against a poetic narration, revealing the state of the river. There is a reiteration of not allowing yourself to get blinded by the ideals of development and progress and check our activities at an individual level before its too late for our environmental resources. The film, thus, becomes a sincere plea for humans to protect the planet before we destroy our very source of life and existence.

Yamuna: An Appeal | Short Film Nominee

16 December 2012 was a night that shook the collective conscience of the country. Not only did it trigger a deep sense of paranoia in people, it also made every woman question her security every time she stepped out of her house. The short film explores the same concerns and struggles of three women living by themselves. It is a portrayal of how they interact with their social environment and leaves the viewer with a grim picture of what the world has in store for the protagonists in particular and women in general.

Delhi 16 Dec | Short Film Nominee

Trigger warning: violence, graphic content 

The film documents real life accounts of the anti-CAA protests that were carried out in Delhi against the highly controversial act. These experiences are further tied with metaphorical images and symbolism to drive the message home. The narrative covers the protests, the police brutality and violence that took place at the Jamia Millia Islamia university, followed by the riots that rocked the north eastern part of the national capital in early 2020. At the heart of the documentary film is the message of secularism and unity, and further a reminder to not let communal lines divide the nation. The narrative is true and honest to its subject matter, which is precisely why it might prove to be a triggering viewing experience for the sensitive audience.

Acts of Valor | Short Film Nominee

The film follows a young, in love couple who meet up discreetly for their dates and outings. One fine night, they are able to convince the girlfriend's parent for a night out under the deceit of her staying over at a friend's place. Their special, happy night is brought chaos by brutal and terrifying goons who abduct them and take them to a secluded construction site where the abductors try to take advantage of the situation. The male protagonist, lying hurt on the ground, trails off to his past, difficult memories, moments in which he had lost all hope. He narrates his dreadful experience in school when he was bullied by fellow classmates or the time he was almost hit by a truck or when his mother was struggling to survive on the hospital bed. He reveals that even after such adverse circumstances, he never lost faith in the higher, superior authority, the one he looked out for and was supported by when all is lost. This, in turn, eventually allows the realization of the title in the plot of the film as well.

Faith | Short Film Nominee

Using mystery as its lens, the film puts forward a potentially engaging narrative for the viewer. It makes use of voiceovers generously and does not employ a single scene consisting of dialogues between the characters. The plot develops to raise topics of gender and sexuality and a non-cis person’s struggle to fit in a predominantly heteronormative society. Overall, it’s the visual performances in the film that fare better than the VOs. Additionally, just when the suspense in the narrative begins to draw in the viewer towards a seemingly satisfying end, they are instead met with an abrupt conclusion.

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