The Covid-19 lockdown brought with it a quiet that was a stranger to all of us. It is a similar sense of calm that makes its way into the poetic narrative of the film. The story progressively becomes a representation of our immediate reality as the various moments of life during the pandemic are strung together. The stillness of the frames is tied with an elegant voiceover that presents to the viewer the many thoughts of the protagonist. The mind wanders to all kinds of forbidden, as well as welcome places, during the course of the day, following the same pattern into the night, often keeping one awake despite the lateness of the hour. The poetry of Haalaat, a solo project, invokes them all for you to engage with.

Haalaat | Short Film Nominee

Through a story narrated by its only character, the film becomes a comment on the patterns that our thoughts often involuntarily fall into. As a woman sits before a camera, recording an account about the daughter of her driver, the plot attempts an insight into the annals of the human mind. Her surprise mingles with that of the viewer as the narrative achieves completion, leaving them with the question Bindiya had set out to raise from the start. Simple in its approach, the idea behind the story and the plot deserves mention for the uniqueness that it endeavours, while also offering its views and opinions on our internal conditioning and mental makeup.

Bindiya | Short Film Nominee

The short film is an honest and sincere attempt to portray a young man's experience of being quarantined. While trying to make sense of this unprecedented time in his life, he finds himself resorting to different things - from singing in the bathroom to scribbling in his diary. Our routines might go topsy-turvy, but perhaps we will always some soul-food in activities of this kind, suggests the narrative. 

Dear Quarantine | Lockdown Film Challenge

Shot on a smartphone, the film offers calm visuals, supported by different voices, all of which exhibit the same elemental tonal quietness. The thought behind the story, on the other, aims to touch upon more complex aspects of life and existence. Through its engagement with several voices, the film presents its intrinsic concern - an interaction with doubts, insecurities and the course life chooses to take. All of these thoughts are mapped against the scene of a sky with fast moving clouds, while the canvas of the sky itself remains unchanged. The film puts forth several ideas, but it does not provide a single narrative for the viewer to tie them up with, leaving the interpretation of its true intentions up to the audience.

More Often | Short Film Nominee

The narrative is driven by a single character and his internal conflicts and dilemmas. He seems to be having a conversation with a concealed presence with whom he is also playing a game of chess. The title of the film, then, not only refers to a chess position, but also a suggestion of the emotional and mental state of the protagonist where no further progress is possible. As he recounts the events for the viewer that led him to this point, a shocking development about his fate, albeit determined by him, also awaits you at the conclusion of the film. Though Stalemate is an attempt to experiment with light and shadows, the visuals would have benefited from more control on the same. On the whole, however, it remains an honest endeavor to share its story.

Stalemate | Short Film Nominee

The short film aims to communicate an important message within its brief plot. While we attempt to sanitise ourselves physically in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, it is also important to invest some time in the cleanliness of our thoughts and perspective as well, emphasises the narrative.

Sanitize | Lockdown Film Challenge

If one were to imagine the self as a physical structure in the liking of a building, one that harbours within itself the past, present, future, and everything that they encompass, adopting a poetic narrative to express these thoughts would indeed be a beneficial decision. This is precisely what Imaarat does, introducing the viewer to its protagonist and his several engagements with his own thoughts and experiences. The film also offers a notable combination of words and music, exhibiting potential in terms of writing. However, it could have gained from more attention to its visuals and lighting.

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