'Shades of a Kite' brings to the screen a powerful narrative about a haunted house and the manner in which it threatens the safety of a family that has recently moved there. Anna, a single mother, shifts to a house in a new city with her three-year-old daughter. The film unfolds to reveal a sense of deep disconcertment which is achieved with dimly lit visuals, marked by their deliberate instability to disorient the viewer. The handheld shots when combined with the greys on screen produce an unease, and the invocation of this very sentiment allows the film to be successful in its endeavor to be a horror story. 

In terms of thought, the plot draws attention to differing ideas that conform to science and spirituality, the question of the supernatural in the logical world of mental health experts. All of this is further enhanced by beautiful animation that adds a new dimension to the story. When coupled with notable graphics and convincing performances, the film indeed becomes a successful product as well as an enjoyable viewing experience for all horror enthusiasts.

Shades of a Kite | Short Film of the Month

The short film by Vikram Bhatt is the story of four strangers who are forced to take shelter in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere due to a snow blizzard. It opens with a gory scene of an attack on a boy called Karthik. Before any sense can be made of what's going on, the narrative goes six hours back in time. It continues to oscillate between the past and the present, keeping the viewer on tenterhooks all along. Use of toys in shadows, perhaps reminiscent of the iconic slasher series Saw, is one of the many tools that help add to the eeriness of the setting. As attacks begin on them one by one, perhaps in a desperate attempt to rationalise it, they're immediately chalked down to being caused by a wild animal. Soon after, the question of the supernatural soon enters the narrative. However, how far are they from the truth, and more importantly, is any escape possible even if they manage to figure it out?

Let's Play | Short Film of the Day

The scene is of a dark night when a man is in a hurry to get to his native village which he left a decade ago. The reason for the rushed trip, making him drive into the lateness of the hour, is to sell an ancestral property. After finally having secured a buyer, this is perhaps a narrow window to get the property off his hands, explaining the urgency to get there in time. Now that the premise of the film is in place, it allows itself to play with darkness, concealing more than it reveals, using shadows and sounds to conjure an eerie atmosphere for the viewer. It's biggest tool to invoke an element of horror is simply a voice, an unhappy, enraged voice, and owing to the manner in which the narrative is weaved, that turns out to be more than sufficient.

Navigator | Short Film of the Day

The world that the film brings to life is dominated by two colors - green and red, immediately conjuring an atmosphere of unease with their stark sharpness. As a young girl reluctantly discusses her mental health troubles with an expert by means of a video call, the sense of isolation is strengthened further. The rest of the narrative employs shadows judiciously, along with exercising control over lighting, and finally combining the two with jump scares to invoke horror in the viewer. However, all of these elements are only setting up the big climax and conclusion when a truly disturbing fate awaits the protagonist.

No Sleep Anymore | Lockdown Film Challenge

A man in a remote town, a favorite brand of cigarettes and a gory history of a house - these are our first introduction to the world of ‘Charnel House’. Due to the haunted past of a villa, the protagonist has been able to buy it at one-fourth of the price. The viewer is allowed slowly-steadily into this tale of horror and violence. Once the premise is established, events unravel swiftly. The narrative follows a non-linear path, and moves back and forth to further take us into the dark past of the characters and an evil, vindictive force that follows them until it has been appeased. The film does a notable job of keeping the viewer involved, even if showing a little want of tightness in some places. It’s a welcome prospect to see more similar projects where these few wrinkles have been ironed out.

The Charnel House | Short Film Nominee

The short film portrays a single circumstance one night, a circumstance that is marked by a haunting supernatural element. The hour is late when a woman is reading a strange book. She is alone at home, awaiting the return of her husband from work. However, soon something terrible begins to unfold. 
There is no connection to be had with the outside world, anything that could have come to her rescue, as she realizes the presence of another in the otherwise empty house. A horrifying reality develops, and the narrative presents all of this in its brief duration, exhibiting efficient storytelling. Additionally, if the project can be developed further, with a more detailed beginning, middle and end, it should surely be pursued.

Kivuli | Short Film Nominee

It’s late at night, and a tired, overworked editor still plows on with work at his desk. A phone call from a desperate friend, asking for a favor for one of his projects where the concerned editor left him in the lurch, soon changes the course of the night for the protagonist. The current task now starts off with three strange videos, followed by stranger visions, shadows, and silhouettes that begin to completely overpower his reality. 

Are these mere imaginings, or is there a malicious, supernatural force afoot? Is this why the previous editor fell out of the project? And most importantly, does a similar fate await the protagonist as well? The final result raises all of these questions, while also playing with the character’s own internal demons and disturbing ideas. Additionally, it evidences the investment of thought in narrative-building.

Editors Cut | Short Film Nominee

Completely without any dialogue, the short film takes us into a single afternoon when a character clicks Polaroids on his camera. However, as he leaves the street to enter a seemingly empty house, little does he realize how far he is stepping away from safety. The entire story, despite the underlying sinister, supernatural elements, unfolds in broad daylight, attempting to invoke horror and thrill without taking refuge in the ease of darkness. 

As for the protagonist, who has now reached a point of no return, the most terrible and shocking development is about to materialize, one that would alter his reality forever.

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