Samskara translates to 'impressions' - something around which the whole narrative of the film would come to pivot. The visuals make the most skilled use of hand-hold shots and dimly lit frames to build up the tension and suspense of the characters. The viewer is able to participate in it, owing to the manner in which they are weaved. The narrative also makes an expert use of parallel narratives. The reason it works visually and manages to drive its point home most convincingly is because of the seamless editing. The film is an exploration of the extent of the effect of abuse and how entrapping childhood trauma can be. The exploration also justifies the title - the cyclical nature of life, constituted by an external repeat of internal impressions.

Samskara | Namit Das

The primary action and drama of the film pivots on domestic abuse and its many ramifications on a family. However, intrinsic to this premise is the idea of self-imposed inhibitions, mainly as a result of social constructs and the manner in which gender dynamics are enforced. A pinjra or cage thus becomes the defining metaphor for the lived reality of this mother-son duo who are both direct and indirect victims of an abusive husband and father. The film is marked by notable performances, and a frugality of dialogue which is employed judiciously to share its intentions with the viewer. It does not shy away from sentimentalism, along with tying it with a smattering of animation to drive its message home.

Pinjra | Short Film of the Day

The narrative does a notable job of invoking several elements and thematic concerns - childhood trauma, mental illness, battles with medication, sexual exploitation - and engages with each of them adequately. The story is of Titir, Mithi and Tirtha, childhood friends who were separated from each other by a terribly tragic event. Even though their paths may have crossed again in adulthood, their equation is far from what it used to be. 

Plagued by the many travails of time, both Mithi and Tirtha battle their own personal demons as well. The portrayal of this friendship becomes the preoccupation of the film. The film further utilizes poetry and symbolism to enhance itself, eventually leaving the viewer with a meaningful story of malice, loss, but also friendship, and loyalty.

Sleeping Pills | Short Film Nominee

Riha is a thoughtful film on a sensitive, and tragic subject that is almost invisiblized in mainstream
culture: shell shock. 
A large number of films have represented the subject of political prisoners, prisoners of war, or even
persons who were unjustly embroiled by the state machinery in false cases and charges. Yet, for
dominant films, the point of inquiry stops at the event. In these stories, the focus is not so much about the
life of the man, his personhood and aftermath, but the flaws in the regimes of power. Riha is a film that
begins its pursuit with the man at the centre. Shell shock is a term that was first coined post the first World War to talk about the trauma and experiences of the soldiers who returned from war. In American films, this concept is regularly exploited, but closer home in India,
no popular Hindi film at least comes to mind when we talk of tackling this topic. Riha captures acutely and sensitively the trauma of
a character who was caught in the midst of an unjust tussle, and the implications that they have on his mind,
body, social, intimate and personal relations. It is an attempt at an empathetic portrayal of a man
who having undergone years of physical and mental torture, now finds himself unable to grapple with
fitting into to normalcy, his family, society and civilization.

Riha | Short Film Nominee

Trigger warning: Sexual assault, violence 

The film begins with a powerful scene, one that immediately establishes a tone of tragedy, despair and past trauma. And yet, the next voice that we hear is not one of support or empathy, but of rejection, rebuke and dismissal. The moment serves as the perfect representation of not only the core intentions of the narrative, but also of the predominant location of women in society. 

The plot centers itself in rural India, in a household where women are completely deprived of a voice or agency of any kind. The slightest act of stepping out of line, like indulging in harmless teasing with a male family member, can lead to catastrophic consequences that might last a lifetime, as the film soon goes ahead to show. 

'Odh Gohri', thus, becomes a story that holds a mirror to the violence women are subjected to with shocking frequency, along with the misery, grief and endless pain that gets left behind in its wake.

Odh Gohri | Short Film Nominee

Engagement with any form of mental illness is a complex endeavour to embark upon and this film attempts the same. It brings in several elements that include child sexual abuse, childhood trauma and the manner in which they affect a person's mental makeup in their adulthood. The film boasts of a notable performance by Meghbalika as the protagonist, as well as potential in terms of storytelling and structuring of the narrative. It does, however, show a want of more polishing in the technical department, an aspect that would have greatly benefited it as an overall product. On the whole, the team exhibits talent and skill that can be realised further in latter projects.

Vacuum | Short Film Nominee

The film is skilfully conceived and visualised. The treatment and the execution of the story on screen deserve all brownie points, breaking itself into chapters, giving a glimpse into different parts of a day of the protagonist's life. This, in turn, allows the audience to weave together a coherent narrative about the direction in which the film is headed. The opening of Opposite Day is marked by a seemingly mundane morning when a man wakes up and proceeds to feed his dog, Calypso. The viewer eagerly awaits for Calypso to arrive into the frame, but he never does. The first sense of unease is then put into motion, which progressively continues to spiral into something unpleasant - from inane acts to those that threaten the protagonist's professional life to explicit violence. The film, however, sets an expectation higher at the start than it manages to fulfil by its conclusion. While it succeeds at showing great expertise and prowess in terms of technical skill, the same is not entirely achieved with respect to the thought and structuring of the narrative.

Opposite Day | Short Film Nominee

After engaging in active combat, when Atharv returns home, nothing is the same again. Horrors of the war zone continue to plague his nightmares and waking reality. 

The support of a loving wife, Kanika, a sensitive artist herself, is not enough as he battles the many symptoms and consequences of PTSD. The narrative presents a sensitive treatment of the subject, ensuring its conversation remains meaningful throughout. 

 


Despite the overall visual progression losing some of its smoothness as the film moves forth, the end result offers an important story and employs competent writing and performances in its execution. While Atharv may have lost more than he is able to accept as a result of his time in service, will his own life, and its value, especially for Kanika, eventually enable him to lead himself back to recovery and healing? Will there be color again on this blank canvas?

Blank | Short Film Nominee

'At the Therapist' is a conversation around mental health, attempting an approach that steps away slightly from what you might expect from that premise. A therapist meets his patients one after the other, each of them having dealt with, and now discussing, very severe, intense trauma, and episodes of violence. The therapist is unperturbed, listening and advising his clients with a calm demeanour. However, it is only when they leave, and he chooses a moment by himself that a revelation is made for the viewer. Despite a little lack of control in the department of sound, the film exhibits potential in performances, as well as the desire to weave a story. Throughout, the question at its heart remains - who listens to the troubles of those who make themselves available to everyone, but have no one to turn to themselves?

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