WINNER, SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR

OFFICIAL SELECTION

SEMI-FINALIST

The biggest strength of 'Tower' lies in the approach and tonality it adopts to share the narrative. The narrative itself, it should be noted, offers an impactful conversation around a serious environmental concern, using a very unlikely circumstance - the love story of a cow herder in a corner of rural India. 


While we may have established the protagonist's location to be a 'rural corner', thanks to the rampant spread of technological advances, even this small village is seeing its fair share of change in the form of cellular services and their accompanying towers.  


Parshuram, or as he is better known in his village, Phalya,  spends the majority of his time either in the fields with his young friend, Jaygya (a naughty, Tinkerbell-esque presence), or navigating and admiring the beauty of birds in his vicinity. Every morning, as Phalya strolls through the expanse, a red bus stops to reveal to the audience his childhood crush, Manju, sitting by the window. Alongside Phalya and Manju's love story, another narrative is developing, one about the disappearance of birds from the former's village.  



After conversing for hours on phone calls, the two eventually decide to meet. Following the rendezvous and a conversation about Manju's academic matters, a startling and concerning revelation is made. As the protagonist chooses to to eradicate the root cause of the dwindling bird population, the constant push and pull between nature and technology is conjured for the viewer. In the process, the film raises a resounding question - have centuries of co-existence been disrupted beyond repair by the advent of modern technology and human activities? At the end of it all, the many elements of the plot are eventually tied together with a strangely heartwarming and uplifting message that ensures that the story concludes with a critical comment about the responsibility of each of us towards the world we live in, a statement that will stay with you long after you're done watching the film.

Tower | Short Film of the Year

The short film introduces us to two actors with diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Both of them wait in the green room, preparing for a scene crucial for their respective careers - a role with dialogues. Their contrasting personalities depict the different mindsets, opinions and ways of life the two generations have.
 

On the one hand, we have the calmer and humbler older artist who has made peace with his current place in the industry, he understands its inner workings and thus, radiates a positivity and gravity that accompanies maturity. On the other, there is the impulsive, motivated younger artist who is still trying to understand and perfect the art form, along with the work and the life that it constitutes. As they connect and discuss the nitty-gritty of their personal and professional lives as actors, a deep bond and understanding develops.

Green Room: Thehrav | Short Film Nominee

Ashish Manohar Nagrik is a harried citizen who has arrived at the police station to file a complaint against his foster mother. He is a struggling writer who lives in an overcrowded, cramped corner of Mumbai. As he shares his long list of complaints with a police cop who is both in a hurry to clock out of his shift and intrigued by Ashish’s case in equal measure, a lighthearted, engaging story comes into existence. 

The screenplay and performances are constructed in a manner that ensures that at every point, the viewer is more informed than the confused police officer himself. The narratorial progression also conveys all the film’s intentions with impact, leaving you entertained as well as amused at this seemingly strange conversation, which is taken home with ease.

Maya Nagri | Spotlight

The poetic narrative aims to conjure the hope as well as the desire for the end of the lockdown that has ensured we are confined indoors in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The voice of the protagonist takes us into his lived reality and how drastically it has been altered from the life that once was. From a longing for his friends and loved ones, to cooking experiments at home, he invokes them all, finally concluding with the emphatic message and concern about the lasting impact of an existence where the domestic space has been reduced to the status of a cage.

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