The film deals with a heavy subject but does so without weighing itself down with didactic messaging or moralizing. It opens with quiet visuals of an empty house, save for a solitary figure of a man. As the visuals are interwoven with the vastness of the sea, a story of pain, and the inability to reconcile it, emerges. 

The protagonist is about to commit a terrible act from which there is no turning back. He has made up his mind, and nothing can break his resolve now. The screenplay remains marked by very little dialogue, the consequent lacuna filled by the performance, both of which complement each other. The narrative presents its message loudly and emphatically, and the various elements of storytelling and narratorial progression come together in a complete manner to support the final result.

Body  | Short Film of the Month

Despite the disturbing thought the film invokes in its title, taking one’s life by suicide, the narrative is marked by uplifting humor and hope. The entirety of the plot is a movement towards the realization of the same. 
A man is trying to end his life, but a little girl keeps coming in his path. She takes him down the road of some unexpected misadventures that amuse the viewer, even if at the cost of the protagonist’s misery. Their exchanges continue, following the format and approach of a silent film, employing the visual flow steadily, coupled with a fitting background score. 
At the heart of the film is an important message that is presented to the viewer with earnestness and lucidity, while also displaying a screenplay defined by ease, along with a complementary edit.

Sui-side Story | Short Film Nominee

The protagonist of the film, Rajat, is dealing with a traumatic emotional upheaval, the loss of his wife, Pritha, to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is coupled with the isolation of a locked down world which has further left him struggling to come to terms with the pain and grief. 
With only a sincere, close friend by his side, Rajat is gradually succumbing to his reality. The narrative explores all of these emotions, engaging with the different stages of grief. There is the attempt to talk about serious mental health concerns, and the adverse ways in which the pandemic worsened them. However, as for the protagonist, while things may seem extremely bleak on the horizon, could Rajat find it in him to accept the circumstance, and eventually, the strength to move on?

Pulse | Short Film Nominee

Two men, Kultaar Chatwal and Shounak, at vastly different stages of life, and in vastly different circumstances, find themselves united by a common thread of despair and existential dread. They are both disillusioned by the city and life they find themselves located in, and grapple with them in their own respective manner, as their shared loneliness and isolation further pronounce the film's title. However, one day things take the most unexpected turn when a woman called Kavery Chandra ends up at their doorstep. She is unfazed by the sight of two men drinking in a house by themselves and is more than comfortable sharing their accommodation for a week. 

The next morning introduces us to a Kavery who has taken over the household chores like cleaning and setting up the house, a plot progression that seems a little inconsistent with the character of a woman who is planning to stay for only a few days. However, if one chooses to view it as part of her cheery personality that aims to bring happiness within the narrative, perhaps it can be overlooked. The storytelling in itself presents to us an MPDG-esque character, something the viewer might have encountered previously in mainstream cinema. 

The performances of the three actors become the true strength of the film, as does its visual grammar, aiming to leave the viewer with an uplifting message about hope, optimism, and finding peace in the most unexpected ways, maybe even as unexpected as the entry of a woman who refuses to give up even in the face of the most overwhelming battles.

Out of Place | Short Film Nominee

Trigger warning: self-harm 
A deeply troubled man stands before a noose, about to take his life by suicide when the most unexpected stranger runs into him. Once the suicide attempt is halted, an entirely new conversation ensues. The man, Aditya, who has completely given up on life, is engaged in an exchange by the stranger, Abhinav, who makes him question the folly of his decision, with the reminder of the pain and grief that would be left behind if he ends his life. 

The writing of the film, and particularly Aditya’s character, brings in a sense of having been betrayed by others, lied to by your loved ones who either only pretend to care, or simply dismiss with toxic positivity when one begins to share their sorrow with them. 

The performances of the two actors are smooth and free-flowing, allowing the screenplay to exhibit clarity and earnestness. Even if the narrative comes to be marked by a certainty of development, the points it presents remain extremely emphatic and relevant, pronouncing a very important message about mental health.

Is That You? | Short Film Nominee

Trigger warning: Suicide 
 
The Sanskrit title of the film translates to rebuilding or reconnecting with the aim to combine. It is the same idea that drives the plot forward as the paths of two improbable characters overlap in a very unexpected manner. 

Two men have arrived at the same site of an empty building to end their lives by suicide. In their darkest moment, a conversation develops between them. As they exchange the reasons that led them to this point in their lives, an almost familial bond develops between the characters, one that completely alters the course of their decision. In the process, while employing Sanskrit as its medium, the film offers a well-intentioned story of hope and second chances.

Sandhanam | Short Film Nominee

Trigger warning: suicide
 
The film presents to us a quarrelsome couple that has pushed each other to the brink. After a few years of marriage, the two are always at loggerheads over even the smallest issues. Kadhir and Priya both come to stand for anger and ego, respectively. In the portrayal of their relationship, the film gives us a glimpse into the situations they are capable of when left to grow indiscriminately. 

As their fights peak, Priya often threatens to take her life by suicide, until one day when the two reach a point of no return. The film constantly undercuts the tension with humor, finally presenting a story of two characters stuck in an endless cycle of anger, frustration, and impatience.

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