One of the most important goals of art is to bring reformative change, to eventually make this world a better place. Its aim is to strive for an inclusive society where people of all genders and sexual orientations are allowed to live freely and without fear. The documentary film is an important step in the same direction. 

It offers not only a lucid and comprehensive, but also poignant and sincere account of a transgender boy's struggle to come to terms with his identity. Born as Ritika, but now having chosen an existence for himself as Ritwik, the protagonist shares with the viewer his mental health struggles, past failures in romance and society's inability to make him feel comfortable with his decisions even after all these years. What began as a sense of deep discomfort in his clothes and skin as a child, and briefly also came to be viewed as a mental illness by his parents, has now become a powerful assertion of an identity in a world that is obsessed with forcing everything into its own rigid categories. The overarching message of the narrative remains loud and clear - one about every person's right to subscribe to the gender they want to and are most comfortable with. In the process, doing its bit to further the cause, Tamas offers a beautiful and intelligent portrayal of an issue which requires more conversation and dialogue around it in the mainstream.

Tamas: From Ritika to Ritwik | Short Film of the Day

The title presents to you the motif that would become intrinsic to the film's core. Essentially, the story is of Maloti, a woman who works as a domestic help. The character is brought to life by a notable performance that becomes one of the most standout aspects of the film. 

Alongside the development of the plot are chants and rhymes about goddess Durga whose presence has been a force to reckon with in the household Maloti works in. A life of cruelty and domestic abuse is presented to the viewer with a parallel narrative of a couple that suggests other female presences and their location in society. Tying it all together, however, amidst tears and tragedy is an unmissable act of taking a selfie, one that declares loud and clear the ideas of self and identity to the viewer, while also unpacking the title of the film.

Selfie | Short Film of the Day

The documentary takes us into the first-hand experience of Vansh Pandita, a Kashmiri Pandit, who returns to his ancestral village for the first time since his family left it in April 1990. The subsequent narrative that comes to life is heartfelt and marked by true earnestness. It is weaved with care and emotion and exhibits notable potential in terms of storytelling and portraying the world based on the protagonist’s interactions. 
The journey commences to usher in crucial perspectives about what it means to leave a home behind, and the deep scars that follow, some of which perhaps can never heal. At the same time, a sense of indomitable hope for a better future, one marked by newer, younger voices, and their dreams and aspirations, never truly leaves the film. All of these together ensure meaningfulness and sincerity in the endeavor, one that paves the path for many more to come.

Meen-mul | Short Film Nominee

A man is waiting at a metro platform, looking grim. The scene soon intercuts to a woman, smoking by herself until someone is at the door. Experimental elements combine with thrill to present a heated-up scene between the man and the woman. Questions of fidelity are raised leading to disconcerting developments that eventually reveal a crucial comment. The storytelling is marked by earnestness which is further reflected in the visual progression. The performances are notable, supporting the endeavor all the way. The screenplay, heavy on symbolism, carries within it a very relevant social message, one that is echoed in the title of the film, referring to the female aspect of a man's psychology. As this meaning is realized, the end result comes into its own.

Anima | Short Film Nominee

The short film is a calm engagement with a sense of self, and the consequent identity that comes to be associated with it. It chooses a sombre background to match the mood and takes the viewer into the life of its protagonist. His attempts to truly understand himself vis-a-vis his relationship with the internet becomes the predominant part of the plot. Struggling to still make sense of relationships, be it with family and friends, he sometimes seeks solitude, sometimes the company of a friend, and sometimes, simply to lose himself as a tiny speck of a bigger picture. The film exhibits potential, and a script and idea that can be interacted with in a deeper manner in the future projects of the team. Pursuit of Escapes serves only as a premise of an idea, demanding a more adept analysis of its thematic concerns.

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