It’s difficult to find a word in the English language which describes the occupation of the person we send our washed
clothes to get ironed. The colloquial term is ‘press-wala/wali’. Salbatein is her story. 
The film is a monologue that begins with her detailing the specifics of her life and work. What
she says in the beginning feels a bit unnatural to the viewer, considering the insistence on the realist-genre by the film. But once one eases into the film, her words become a scathing critique of the
iron-fisted patriarchal customs of Haryana. In a way then, the film takes the form of the practice of
ironing where, as the creases are smoothened out, the cloth, and the thoughts begin to take shape. The film is marked by a strong voiceover and performance of its only actor, along with notable writing. From the local, to the global, Salbatein outlines the stifling controls through which patriarchy has
strategised to keep women away from a life of freedom and progress.

Salbatein | Short Film of the Day

‘Anjom’ is a story of injustice and corruption, and the attempts of a wronged man to take matters into his own hands. The narrative shares its ideas in an experimental manner, portraying each event with clarity. 

After a man sexually assaults a woman, her family seeks the help of the law to bring the perpetrator to justice. However, his deep pockets and a corrupt police officer ensure that he goes scot-free, making a complete mockery of law courts and the justice system. Thus is born the thirst for revenge delineated for the viewer with smooth visuals, alongside the educational message that the film wants to leave the audience with.

Anjom | Short Film Nominee

It is inevitable to talk about ideas of justice, the law and vigilantism when one speaks of malicious deeds and the punishment that needs to be served to those who are behind them. The film attempts the same by positioning the conversation against a cheery atmosphere of a birthday party. The story is of one night when a young police officer discusses an unsolved case with her senior, also the father of the birthday girl. During the conversation, further engagement is invoked to draw the viewer's attention to child sexual abuse and crimes of a sexual nature most prevalent in India. The film wants to tell an honest and sincere story, and the same intentions are shared with the viewer to achieve its goals.

Unsolved | 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.

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