The film is marked by its silences more than dialogues, and in the process, offers a calm narrative - poignant, beautiful and engaging in equal measure. It is the story of a young writer who takes on petty jobs to help himself survive in the city, while continuing to scribble on his little notepad in between the dozens of chores he has to accomplish on a daily basis. One morning, stumbling across a pretty stranger, who seems to be reading the same poetry early in the morning he had fallen asleep to the previous night, he finds himself falling prey to a fluttering of the heart. The quietness of the film, also enriched by elegant camerawork, is broken only by a skilled voiceover that shares poetry about the matters of the heart. The things that are left unsaid carry the most crucial message in the narrative - one about an artist who finds himself at the margins of society, finding solace in a vast expanse marked only by a soul akin to his own kind, about falling in love and getting your heart broken. However, despite any or all obstacles, the pursuit of dreams, and hope, never truly ceases or loses its significance in human existence, and it is precisely this emphatic communication that becomes the final message that smoothly ties the conclusion together.

Roznama | Short Film of the Day

Meraki, a Greek word with no English counterpart, refers to that part of an artist's being, their soul, essence, that they invest in their creative endeavor. Consequently, the horizon of expectation that the short film sets for you suggests an exploration of the creative process, the artist's relationship with his work, and perhaps, the completion of a project he is portrayed to be struggling with in the first few minutes of the film. 
However, the viewer is deliberately kept unaware of the deeply disconcerting events the narrative instead is moving towards. Yes, it will be a story about writing and creating, but would it be in the manner you expect it to be? 

As the protagonist's preoccupation with a twisted idea of creativity continues to overpower his relationship with writing, the film soon becomes a thriller that does not take refuge in the shadowy world of dim-lit visuals. Instead, this is a realm of sunlight and bright frames, allowing it to accentuate its core intentions. It is not a story marked by a single, grand act of violence per se on which rides everything, instead, it is its execution and the build-up leading to it that forms the most notable aspect of the film, further enabling it to achieve all that it had set out to.

Meraki | Short Film of the Day

The narrative of the film is a conversation about the pitfalls of the creative process. It introduces us to the struggles of a writer who is unable to overcome self-doubt, which in turn, leaves him incapable of finding new ideas for a script. As he consumes cinema, looking for inspiration for a film of his own, he shows enough self-consciousness to be aware that he might simply be wasting all this time in the name of 'research'. However, this realization only serves to worsen the stress he is battling. The short film, thus, becomes an exploration of the turmoil that often plagues artists, the frustration of not being able to express yourself creatively, the pursuit of temporary comfort in bodily pleasures and the deep despair that eventually accompanies it. Along with the dedication to share its story, the narrative also ropes in the darkness that such a situation entails, often leaving one feeling emotionally isolated and drowning in hopelessness. And yet, all of it is tied up with an unexpected twist, as the conclusion reveals to the viewer's surprise.

Not Mine To Keep | Short Film Nominee

Tara is a dedicated, hardworking professional who takes care of all her duties. She spends long hours busy with a very demanding job, one that leaves little to no time for a life outside of office. Her flatmate Sakshi is quick to point this out, but all her imploring falls on deaf ears. However, alongside this, we are also given a glimpse into another aspect of Tara’s life. She is an aspiring writer who seems to share a special bond with the city she lives in, Mumbai. 

 Characters like her mother, a friend called Aman, both of whom we never see beyond phone calls, and of course the city itself, all form crucial parts of this existence as we are taken deeper and deeper into it. The final result is a soft echo of them brought to life, presenting a story about pursuing one’s dreams while being rooted in a practical world. Though the film stands to gain from a firmer hold on sound, on the whole, it remains an honest, well-meaning story.

In a Nutshell | Short Film Nominee

The short film is the story of two sisters where the elder one takes care of her younger sibling who is in a wheelchair. As she struggles to keep up with her various responsibilities, she finds herself tempted to go down a dark path from where there is no return. The narrative introduces us to various moments of their affection and intimacy. This is done perhaps intentionally to achieve an element of shock at what follows. The manner in which events develop in the story is aimed to provide a jarring image in direct contrast to the earlier ones of love and sisterhood. While light and dark continue to wage a battle within the protagonist, who will be victorious at the end of it all?

Pratibimbo | Short Film Nominee

The film invokes different circumstances, each defined by its own distinctive texture and sentiment, to present its story to you. An image of violence gives way to a strange exchange between two men in an unusual location. Their conversation includes ideas of power, wealth, love, relationships, and some more. 
The philosophical engagement becomes the core of the narrative, further coupled with what it means to be an artist, more specifically, a writer. The many components are thus tied together in a sincere endeavor, painting a world that aims to move from one aspect of human nature to another, from creativity and madness to violence.

Odd | Short Film Nominee

Flow is a film of musings. It is about the process of writing and everything that goes into constituting it. The
writer-director has translated his words, thoughts, ideas and artistic pondering into a film. As the name
suggests, elements of music, poetry and reflection flow from one to scene to another. The enthusiasm,
and energy of the screenplay radiates on screen, and infectiously spreads to the viewer as well. The film is notable in its endeavour to conjure the calm vibe it seeks to achieve through its aesthetic visuals and a soft progression of events. Additionally, it locates itself in our contemporary locked down world, and portrays how all of it gets entwined with the lived reality of a creative person, be it before the camera lens or behind it.

Flow | 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

Fleeting dreams is an interesting film that stays true to its title. A director pens down his
thoughts about a story he wants to write. It is not just the narrative of the fictional story he puts down,
but also his process of writing it. He ruminates over anecdotes and experiences from his own life. He
creates a character who is different from him, something of the kind of man he wants to be. It may seem
like a pursuit of a fantasy on a textual level, but perhaps a more useful way to talk about the film is to see
it as personal, almost confessional. 
The writing is quite perceptive. The self-consciousness of the writer even makes the film insightful at
times. The way he weaves experience and lessons from those experiences makes it an earnest venture. 
The only limitation is that the screenplay becomes a bit too literal at times; there are some
beautiful shots, one just wishes there were more.

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