Kay Kay Menon is easily the best part of the film. The intention comes at a close second. Sparsh is about the beauty of kindness and all that it's capable of. In the process, it also reveals the consequences of its absence - how the cycle of hate and pain is a tough one to break out of. As it gradually concludes into a fade out, the sensitive viewer might feel a little tug at the heart. However despite its attempts, the film does not deliver all that it promises. It consists of several hits and misses - hits in the form of writing and thought, and misses in the form of the execution of that thought.

Sparsh | Short Film of the Day

Trigger Warning: violence, assault, lynching 

The film presents a hard-hitting comment on society, and the violence and cruelty humankind is capable of. The narrative starts in a seemingly harmless manner, with a tone defined by sibling banter and exchange. The older brother lives in the city, and now, as he visits his village, he shares his experiences with his sister. The mood, however, darkens very swiftly as a group of young men begin to notice them, assuming them to be a romantic couple. As they draw more and more attention to this unsuspecting duo, a terribly brutal reality unfolds, which is portrayed with skill and strong performances. The screenplay conjures visuals which are sure to stay with the viewer for a long time. The film’s story models itself on a real-life incident to drive home the message about the brutal nature of mob violence, and the sadism that remains inherent to it.

Omanuh | Spotlight

The film locates itself in a futuristic, dystopic society, where human existence is marked by tracking chips and an insidious cough that threatens to prove extremely detrimental to the very existence of mankind. This is further coupled with skilled visuals of illustrations that exhibit notable talent and ease with a pencil and paper. In terms of its story, Prophecy weaves a plot that leads the viewer by the hand to a specific location, only to later portray the folly of it all. As the fictive space of the film battles a severe health problem, also echoing our contemporary reality, the narrative simply puts forward the protagonist's experiences of attempting to survive the formidable circumstances. The same is communicated to the audience by visuals of only a pair of hands sketching images corresponding to the events that are unfolding. While the crisis rages on and on, would our protagonist finally achieve the safe haven he seeks, and perhaps, deserves?

Prophecy | Short Film of the Day

Locating itself in a dystopic universe where humanity is overpowered by the existence of cyborgs and robots, the film aims to pack several elements of the sci-fi universe within its story. A plot of thrill, the unknown and potential subterfuge is allowed to develop to involve the reader deeper into the narrative as the protagonist attempts to figure his way about this destroyed heap of a colony. As violence finds its way into the events that are unfolding on screen, new characters are introduced that immediately puts any semblance of certainty the viewer might have had so far into question. While the film is a dedicated and zealous attempt, the events seem to lack coherence sometimes, making it difficult for the unsuspecting viewer to keep track. However, the film, overall remains an honest endeavour leaving the path open for more such projects by the team.

Genx 01 | Short Film Nominee

One act of kindness indeed sets an entire cycle of kind acts in motion. This is the premise the film pivots itself on. Using a dialogue-free narrative to communicate its message, Hawker thus becomes a story of a young man working towards achieving an aim, one of buying a new bicycle. However, he soon finds himself changing his goal in order to help another person in need. The message the narrative foregrounds is that humanity is indeed a circular chain where what you give comes back to you. One act of selflessness triggers another and makes the world a better place. The film concludes with this message reminding the viewer to always strive to be kind to one another.

Hawker | Short Film Nominee

Now that the country stays confined to their houses, there are some important questions about existence that we need to ask ourselves. The film raises some of them, and leaves the others for the viewer to come up with themselves, for when it is all said and done, what will be the fate of humanity?

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