Noor succeeds in creating an eerie atmosphere right from the very beginning, making the viewer suspect every shadow and sound. The story unfolds to reveal a far darker reality than the surroundings about the life of the young protagonist. While initially the argument may appear threadbare to a trained viewer, the manner in which the drama unfolds would leave even the most prepared of them at the edge of their seats. The performances are strong and convincing which further make the message of the film more emphatic. The narrative is sure to stay with you long after you're done watching the film. Despite all its strengths, the film would have benefitted from a better control on the lighting of its visuals.

Noor | Jaya Bhattacharya | Pick of the Festival Circuit

The narrative invoked by You is short and to the point. It wastes no time in hitting the nail on the head and takes the viewer immediately into the heart of action. When the story opens, the protagonist is in an intense situation where the stakes are clearly very high. All of the drama is allowed to unfold by way of phone calls, while we are shown only the face of the protagonist, Arun. A call first from his wife, and then from his mother, give rise to a brief moment of respite, only to be followed by a far more shocking development - one steeped in sexism, misogyny and patriarchy. However, the manner in which Arun stands up against it, all along subscribing to the brevity of the narrative, manages to communicate the message in an impactful manner, enhanced by a dedicated performance.

You | Short Film Nominee

At the heart of the documentary lies a very compelling issue - the education of young women, along with the many ways society and the world fails them at every stage. 
It tackles it by taking us into the hinterland of Rajasthan, and drawing the viewer's attention to primarily the experiences of four girls, Jeena, Indira, Varsha and Basanti. From the pandemic to alcoholism to injuries and lack of proper health facilities, all of them become issues that plague their lives, with their education being the final fatality of them all. Even though the narratorial progression could gain from a little more coherent weaving of its various events, it exhibits potential in its visual storytelling, as well as the desire to share its intentions with the world.

Dropout Daughters | Short Film Nominee

The film opens on a note of chaos and activity. It is located in a house where a wedding is about to take place, and thus the festivities are in order. A man is at the center of it all, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. However, on entering the bride’s room, a disorienting realization hits him. 

The message that the narrative wants to convey is a crucial one, and it is in this communication that the final revelation of the plot lies. Though a little obscure at first glance, it soon becomes clear when the social context is presented to the viewer in a direct, unambiguous manner.

Vidya | Short Film Nominee

Indian society's relationship with menstruation and the female body is oppressive and disconcerting, to say the least. The idea of 'pure' and 'impure' is so intricately tied with a perfectly natural and normal biological process like menstruation that it leads to orthodox, conservative and deeply problematic practices. The school drop-out rate of girls in rural areas after they start menstruating is an index and direct reflection of the same issue. The short film is an engagement with these concerns, hitting the nail on the head right away regarding a very pertinent social message. It wastes no time in getting to the heart of things as it brings to life a reality where a young woman goes against her village to ensure education of the girl child. Daughter of the village head, she begins her fight at home, first endeavoring to change the mindset of those closest to her. The premise of the film is not unique, it is after all about a reality we are all too familiar with, leaving little room for novelty. However, it goes a step ahead to offer a solution to this malpractice by coherently and lucidly addressing the misconceptions and hypocrisy of a set of people who invoke the goddesses' name at every step, and yet, deny basic rights and facilities to the girls and women in their own families. By presenting forth all of these concerns, the film questions the marginalization of an entire set of people, the women and girls who make up half of the population, and urges the viewer to question and correct their own obsolete, unfair practices and beliefs.

Laali | Short Film Nominee

Street sexual harassment, colloquially called 'eve-teasing', is a malice more prevalent in India than most other parts of the world. It is widespread enough to be accepted as the norm of society, with little to no resistance against it. Women and young girls are taught to ignore it, put their head down and continue living like nothing happened. This is in one of the better cases. In the worse ones, they are confined indoors, their movement closely monitored and controlled by their family members, often resulting in dropping out of schools and colleges until they are eventually married off. The short film aims to draw your attention to all of these aspects of this particular form of harassment, also reminding you of the strength in numbers. It portrays how women can stand for one another to end this, while also not fearing guilt and shame in reporting the harasser to the authorities. Further, there is an attempt to use poetry to convey the same.

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