Three orphan boys, who somehow fight back the many obstacles of penury to survive, one day scrap enough money to visit the local carnival. As Monty, Kamal and Kunnu reach the fare, little are they aware of how an entry ticket too has to be bought first.


 Spending all their money at the entrance itself leaves them with none for rides or other colorful, dazzling attractions the space holds. As they move from one mini-adventure to another, vicariously enjoying the fare through other patrons, while also longingly staring at the families and children who got dealt a better hand at life than them, the visit nevertheless becomes full of surprises and twists. All of these visuals enjoy the portrayal they deserve with sophisticated camerawork and a judicious use of a very young cast.

 Things finally come to a head in a high-paced chase scene which completely alters the course of the night, and perhaps, also the lives of the little boys. As the older boy comforts the younger one with truths he is not entirely sure of himself, the viewer is allowed a poignant moment where a child is deprived of the innocence of childhood, and forced by the many cruelties of the adult world to acquire the role of the protective caretaker. This protectiveness is evident right from the very start; the undeniable sense of the three of them against the world pervades the plot throughout, allowing us an endearing story of friendship, camaraderie, but one which is cut too short too soon by tragedy.

Mela | Short Film of the Month

The circuitous path of a mountainous landscape takes the viewer into Ladakh. As a man stands before a grave, his head bowed down, the past is invoked, portraying a life of hard physical labour, water and electricity problems, the determination of a boy to leave it all behind, and the resilience of a compassionate father who encourages him on this path. 
The film is the story of Issa and his son Ali, and how the duo navigates a difficult life while refusing to give in to the hardships. There is further the attempt to embellish it with a poetic approach that invokes a metaphorical internal journey, the divine, and its intrinsic presence in the social milieu of the film, alongside the presence of local folklore and witches. 
The most notable aspect of the end result is the performance of the protagonist, supported well by the young actor in Ali, alongside a very earnest desire to invoke a sense of the past, memory, grief, and how it all ties a character back to their origins and roots.

The Pilgrimage | Spotlight

The non-fiction narrative wants to tell a story of struggle and hardship. It introduces us to the life of a couple, advanced in its years, but somehow making ends meet by running a small business that sells idlis. It takes us into their physical space, exposing all its quiet, close cornices to paint a picture of their existence for us. 

The plot further introduces us to the many obstacles they have had to overcome in their pursuit, be it concerns like renovation of a tumbledown property or their health which has taken a turn for the worse in their recent past. The video is well-intentioned and exhibits potential in the department of visuals.

70+ Year Old Couple Selling Idli at Rs 10 | Short Film Nominee

Based on the play 'Before Breakfast' by Eugene O'Neill, the short film locates itself in the house of an Indian couple. It's a busy morning as the woman prepares tea, breakfast, and takes care of other chores before leaving for her job at a school. The very beginning establishes that this is a household marked by financial trouble and the consequent anxieties. While the protagonist continues to nag and taunt her husband about their situation, we never truly see him on screen, much like the character in the parent text who never makes an appearance on stage, his groans and moans only heard from behind the stage wings. The film aspires to be a comment on the breakdown of communication between people, while also drawing a sharp contrast between the romantic hopes of youth as opposed to what it becomes when faced with the hard realities of life.

Aval Pinne Ayaalum | Short Film Nominee

A young, overworked corporate employee has to deal with the never-ending pressure of multiple project submissions, deadlines and a nagging boss on a day-to-day basis. To add to the extensive work and repeated calls from his superior, on this particular day, his food delivery is delayed by more than twenty minutes. 
When the food finally arrives, the man lashes out at the meek delivery person who attempts to pacify the situation by apologizing. Still, the man brutally berates him, calls his own job far more important than the simple task of delivering food, and slams the door shut. This short film presents the perspective of lower wage workers and the ordeal they have to go through dealing with self-righteous, privileged members of society. It communicates the message of being humble and respectful to one and all.

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