They/Them | Short Film Nominee

Short Film Nominee August 30, 2023

They/Them

By Phelian with 6.7

drama · Short Films · english

Shakuntala, the protagonist of the film, wages an internal battle she is unable to articulate. As she struggles to feel comfortable in her own body, the grammar to express this conflict eludes her. However, one day, owing primarily to the internet and the ubiquitous presence of technology in our lives, as well as the swiftly changing times where queer identities are becoming more and more prominent, a whole new world opens for her, introducing her to words that are not mere sounds, but an entire cornucopia of the ideologies and meanings that they carry within.

All of these ideas that constitute Shakuntala’s journey are handled gingerly, with sensitivity and care. The performance of its primary actor who remains silent for much of the narratorial progression is one of the most notable strengths of the film. The storytelling, though not without a few rough edges in terms of production, exhibits deep potential, presenting the film as hopefully only one of the many such endeavors yet to come.
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