The primary concern of the film is the compelling issue of exploring what freedom truly means, and its intricate relationship with the absence of fear. Once the narrative has conjured its idea of freedom for you, it moves forth to portray it in a concise manner by introducing us to a couple. 

The smiling lovers suddenly become very unsure of their safety in a public space like a roadside. The narrative heightens tension, only to puncture it in a way that presents its message about our contemporary reality loudly and clearly. The story is further taken home by competent performances who communicate it all with a frugal, but unequivocal verbal exchange.

Azaadi Mubarak | Short Film Nominee

'Swechha' divides itself into four parts, one for each geographical direction as well as four divine figures, namely Kuber, Varun, Indra, and Yamadharma. Each part is associated with a single character and their respective struggle. From young Nidhesh to the homemaker Aditi, from the hapless Devender to an eighty-three-year-old daily laborer, the film depicts an entire spectrum of existence. 

At the heart of all of these lives is the struggle to secure one’s freedom - be it from worldly duties, or the demands of survival as one languishes to be with loved ones, or from tyrannical employers. The four chapters are thus presented to the viewer, as the film’s intentions are shared in a lucid manner. 
The end result is devoted to sharing this message, and the narrative eventually leaves the viewer with stories about the significance of freedom. It may differ in form for different people, suggests the plot, but its essence forever remains the same.

Swechha | Short Film Nominee

The film invokes a notable conversation around justice and freedom and how far the two can be located from each other in the real world. The entire the action of the story unfolds within a single room where two men have a conversation - an important, powerful lawyer and a convict who has been incarcerated for two years without having committed the crime. As a dialogue is invoked around the ideas of crime, justice and the punishment meted out to them, the film utilises its limited resources efficiently to communicate its intention. Further, it offers a critique of the Indian justice system, and the several legal complexities inherent to it that have been twisted and moulded to one's advantage by the powerful and the mighty in some very infamous cases of the past.

Gunah | Short Film Nominee

The main body of the film is constituted by a boy's interactions with the ideas of freedom and how it changes during the coronavirus lockdown. His experiences, as well as his engagement with those of his peers, reveal new ways in which it begins to define itself, further shattering his pre-existing notions of what it truly means to be free. The film communicates this message through visuals of the protagonist, who after finding himself isolated and far from his earlier life, begins to eventually adapt to the new 'normal', and find meaning in his day-to-day activities. This, in turn, leads to an attempt to remind the viewer of the silver lining even during these bleak times.

Tomorrow | Lockdown Film Challenge

The film introduces us to an unnamed man in an unknown location where a facility is conducting experiments of some sort on different subjects. It is in this situation that a conversation on the idea of freedom is invoked. As the protagonist gives us examples of what it truly means for him to be free, images are borrowed from nature to drive the message home. From rain and forests, to friends and companionship, all of these constitute freedom, according to him. The ability to be able to participate in it, and enjoy is how the only character in the film describes it. The film conjures all of these thoughts, images, and more, simply using a minimalist space of a futuristic world, and surprises the viewer with an unexpected conclusion to the story.

Insane | Short Film Nominee

The short film adopts a minimalist approach and theatrical elements to bring to life its experimental execution of the plot and the characters who constitute it. The story in itself will be relatable for several who battle self-doubt and questions about themselves, sometimes to the extent of them having a crippling effect on their lives. As dreams and passions come to be doused in this darkness that emanates from within, how will one find the strength and courage to overcome it? The film engages with all of these concerns, also invoking memories, childhood grief and emotional baggage of the past. It goes to draw the viewer's attention to the role they play in weighing someone down in their journey to self-fulfilment, but also to the possibility of hope. It further states, in no equivocal terms, that none of these obstacles are insurmountable, and with the right efforts and approach, can indeed be vanquished.

Independence Day | Short Film Nominee

The short film invokes several emotions in the viewer, some that allow them to participate in what the protagonist is feeling, others that take them far from that. The first portion of the film might lead one to believe that its only character battles some form of extreme social withdrawal, almost manic in nature. He constantly wakes up to check the locks on his door, shutting them tightly every single time. However, the second half of the film has a fairly opposite development in store - one that might make the viewer experience a sense of entrapment, akin to even claustrophobia, a situation that several must be familiar with in a post-quarantine world. Additionally, the title is a clear suggestion of the depths of the human mind, and how difficult its darkness can truly prove to be sometimes. Further, the film exhibits promise and allows itself just enough abstraction for the viewer to bring to it their own interpretation of the events unfolding before them.

Abyss | Short Film Nominee

The short narrative locates itself within a space of abstraction, employing metaphors and symbolism as its primary tools to portray its intentions for the viewer. Essentially, the plot wants to be a conversation on freedom, and the manner in which it gets tied with existence, its many confines and the eventual release from it. All of it is attempted an engagement by way of visuals of a caged bird, a fish within a glass bowl and the recurring image of a woman. The palette remains monochromatic, the narrative devoid of any dialogue, as the final result completes the endeavor of sharing its thoughts with you.

The Celebration | Short Film Nominee

Being quarantined puts a lot of things in perspective, especially those which we may have taken for granted. We may have also deprived others of them with casual indifference. The film is an attempt to highlight the same and make the viewer realise the importance of freedom

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