The documentary is clinical, incisive and sharp in its approach as it reveals to the viewer the life of the inhabitants in a small piece of land in Karnataka. Ambedkar Nagar, which started with four huts, now has close to five hundred people dwelling within its narrow by-lanes. From the idealistic and zealous voice of a young man who wants to bring education to his community, to that of a retired worker who values intelligence over everything and is apprehensive of modern education - the documentary reveals different voices. Without falling in the trap of voyeurism, romanticising or any other problematic forms of portrayal of poverty, the film manages to successfully engage with issues of class, casteism and everyday survival.

Open Doors | Pick of the Festival Circuit

When the protagonist, a waged laborer, injures his finger, everything in his life goes for a toss. The narrative does an especially remarkable job to conjure his reality and then share it with the viewer in a calm, poignant fashion. 

Hard-pressed for money, and unaware of the many complex machinations of a world that is ruled and controlled by privilege, more precisely, financial privilege in this case, he is unable to find the help he needs. His movement from one health professional to another with each telling him a different version and treatment of his ailment, all in the face of his laconic, wordless personality, brings to life a crucial story. 

Along with performances, the end result also embellishes itself with notable writing and an insightful grasp of human experience. As for the protagonist, despite the many hardships of his life, the cyclical nature of existence continues, with the inability to break out of the overwhelming impediments that lie in his path.

Pasti | Short Film Nominee

A single mother is at the end of her rope, battling all kinds of financial and emotional difficulties. She struggles to find accommodation for her young daughter and herself in the chaotic landscape of Mumbai. 

Along with neighbors who play loud music, and brokers who make tall promises about buildings that are falling apart before her eyes, she is also met with professional rejections. 

The narrative’s most crucial flourish, however, lies in the juxtaposition it draws between an innocent moment of pure joy that the protagonist shares with her daughter, and a soul-crushing reality for her which must be braved in order to survive. The title of the film, a portmanteau for ‘mom’ and ‘bae’, a mother and a lover, is further realized in this instance which, though not devoid of rough edges, is earnest and adroit in its intentions and their portrayal.

Mombae | Short Film Nominee

Equipped with a controlled pace, the world of ‘Bhojan’ is constructed gradually. The narrative spends time with ease on each individual component. The entirety of the plot unfolds within the span of one day in the life of our protagonist, Vishal.

 In this duration, however, the film presents to you a complete picture of Vishal’s social location, his working class background, and all the hopes, dreams and aspirations that he harbors within. The narrative further exhibits seamlessness in the manner in which it employs both humor, and drama to share its intentions. 

Additionally, the protagonist is brought to life with sincerity and skill in terms of writing as well as performance. The story also covers an interesting journey from the moment of its opening to the conclusion, presenting to us two very contrasting images, finally united by an unexpected, yet organic, narratorial flow.

Bhojan | Short Film Nominee

The short film offers a quiet glimpse into both old age and childhood, and the different kinds of limitations that afflict both stages of life. There is further the overlap, the common plain, which is reached by characters that belong to the two. Along with ideas of survival, the relentless human urge to always push forth, to get up again and continue walking, there is also a discussion on the forced maturity that is thrust upon a little girl who acts as guardian to her younger siblings. 

 All of these thematic concerns are explored by portraying an unfortunate situation that involves three children and an old man. The former exists on the margins of society, along with their dwelling in a remote part of the village. Every day, they head to the house of the old man, doing chores for him. They have found their own stability in this arrangement, even if it still leaves them exposed to the cruelties of a harsh world. 

 Soon, their reality is also afflicted by a circumstance we are all too familiar with by now, the Covid-19 pandemic. As shops get shut, taking from them their only source of dinner, and the old man takes to his bed, a harsher existence await the three. It is by the delineation of all these hardships that the film offers you insights into despair, poverty, hopelessness, helplessness, and the many obstacles that the children overcome each day, refusing to give in or let go just yet.

Grey Solar Game | Short Film Nominee

The world is moving towards a water crisis of staggering proportions. As our population continues to increase manifold, the sources of ground water are depleting at an equally rapid pace. It is this reality that the film wants to make the viewer realise by over-pronouncing and emphasising it in a world that is already battling severe and life-threatening scarcity of water. In a realm that represents the harshness and barrenness of a parched land, those in pursuit of water fight for survival. The storytelling comes across as a sincere, dedicated endeavour to invoke a dystopic world marked by the survival of the fittest as characters resort to slitting each other's throat or even drinking their own blood as long as it extends their life, even if by a few minutes. Further, the aridity of the blasted heath finds an echo in this story marked by a complete absence of dialogue. The visuals of the film are notable, perhaps its strongest aspect. However, it could have gained from a little tautness in the narrative.

Day Zero | Short Film Nominee

An astronaut has found herself stranded in a remote part of the universe, far away from home. The year is 2160, and she is all by herself except for a strange presence - a solitary red rose. The image of a lone figure with only a rose as its companion immediately draws to mind the image of an iconic little boy who too had found companionship in a flower on an empty planet. The image in the viewer’s mind is further strengthened the moment we hear the astronaut’s title, the Little Prince. 
The film that subsequently comes into existence is quiet, mellow, and characterized by an intensity of emotion that is both sincere and honest. The result exhibits potential and perhaps could also be developed into a longer project exploring the many (mis?)adventures of this particular Little Prince.

The Astronaut and Her Rose | Short Film Nominee

The film is the story of a man who scavenges dead animals in a junkyard, one marked by heaps and heaps of waste, and later sells them to restaurant owners who further sell them to unsuspecting customers as part of the food they offer. The images of discarded items, and the manner in which they are utilised by the protagonist, are all comments on the decay of society itself. Additionally, as the story would have it, the characters endeavour to fight this malaise, both metaphorical and literal, by looking for ways out of it. There are some significant visuals that the film offers by way of zoomed out shots of the trash heaps with the character, already living on the margins of society and battling poverty, only a small speck against it, almost indistinguishable from it all. The film has, at its core, a pertinent comment about the inescapability of fate. It reaches this point after traversing a long, meandering path that invokes ideas of poverty, survival, violence, dubious loyalties and the characters' attempts to fight these circumstances. Along the way, the inevitable presence of pain and grief is also tied with the narrative.

Tandoori | Short Film Nominee

The dilemma between what you want and what you need is at the heart of the film. The protagonist, Parthu adopts a first-person narrative to take the viewer into his past. Once there, the narrative quickly changes its approach to give us an external glimpse into his life. A young man with dreams of becoming an actor, scriptwriter, and director, Parthu is supported by loving parents who encourage him in all his endeavors, irrespective of the cost. In his own pursuits, he is unaware of the sacrifices they are making to help him. The plot presents a sincere portrayal of all of this and some more, eventually concluding with a development that ties the film together comprehensively.

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