The short film is essentially a very detailed and hyper-localised account of the migrant labourer crisis that India witnessed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The documentary, adopting a micro approach, maps the reality of the crisis in different parts of Goa over a period of time to bring to the viewer an authentic record of what the ground reality looks like. From severe food shortages, to countless people being stranded away from home, to long queues of people putting their pleas forward for some or any kind of employment that enables them to feed themselves, to foiled attempts of crossing state borders, even on foot, to reach their native villages, the film documents it all. In the process, the Trapped in Paradise becomes a comment on several kinds of failures - institutional, structural, societal, as we seem to be collapsing as a community. It further reveals our inability to control the situations around us, followed by the shattering of the illusion of power over them that we may have had. However, unexpectedly, it also shares a silver lining with the viewer in the form of the selfless efforts of people who came forth to feed and help those in need - how members of the Goa Humanitarian Helpline, Migrant Support Group and Covid Outreach Goa, some of the volunteer-led organisations mentioned in the narrative, decided to step up to the situation. The film also ropes in art to drive its message home about empathy, sympathy as well as the idea of pity. Though well-intentioned, with its heart in the right place, the storyline would have benefited from a tautness of the narrative.

Trapped in Paradise | Short Film Nominee

Following the coronavirus pandemic and the consequent national lockdown, the country witnessed an unprecedented situation in the form of the migrant labourer crisis when lakhs of daily labourers found themselves stranded away from home. The film is an account of one such migrant who ended up in a remote village, away from his family in the city, with little to no financial support or even basic necessities available to them. By introducing us to Joseph Hemrom through the accounts of the Manzar family, the narrative first introduces us to a very macro issue that the country battled in the wake of the pandemic, and then localises it to the experiences of one man, Hemrom himself. The film is well-intentioned and is marked by visuals that exhibit potential, and perhaps can be developed further in future projects of the team. Additionally, it offers comments on the state of affairs in society, the desire for success and progress for the younger generations by their predecessors, and above all, the importance of kindness and helping those in need.

The Extraordinary Journey of a Migrant | Short Film Nominee

The coronavirus lockdown has drawn the nation's attention to two vastly different, parallel realities. If on the one hand, there are those who are fortunate enough to find a roof above their head, along with hobbies and other forms of recreation to busy themselves with, on the other hand, there are those who are stranded far away from home with no shelter or food. As hundreds and thousands take to streets to find a way back to their village, even if it means risking their lives, the narrative engages with a deeply disturbing reality of the Indian migrant labourer crisis. By using visuals of crowded bus stops and streets filled with people walking barefoot with the hope of eventually getting home, the film also does its bit to remind the viewer of their own privilege.

21 Days and Beyond  | Short Film Nominee

The short film is an honest attempt to engage with the migrant labourer crisis India has been dealing with in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Empathy puts its message forth for the viewer's benefit through the pain and misery of the protagonist at the situation.

Empathize | Lockdown Film Challenge

The short film aims to be a sincere exploration of the plight of those who have been hit in the worst manner by the coronavirus lockdown in India. The visuals show emptiness and silence which the privileged might have been able to withstand, but what truly happens to those who are not as fortunate as others?

Most Viewed

Genres

Awards

Follow Us

Quick Links