‘Short films a strong medium to portray social realities’

Short films can be a strong medium to portray social realities, said the filmmakers who were present during the meet-the-press programme here on the second day of the IDSFFK.  Technological advancements in other sectors have crept into in this sector too and it has brought in great changes in short filmmaking, they said. The directors also said that they consider short film-direction as a stepping stone to feature filmmaking.  

“Most of the youngsters consider it (short film direction) as a stepping stone to feature filmmaking and I am no different,” said Vishnu V R. Vishnu’s short film ‘A Million Things’ which tells the journey of an egg, was screened at the festival on Friday. Technology has made things easier in film making, but it does not replace the hardwork and struggle that this passion demands, he said.

'Kanal Vazhikal' directed by M Venukumar portrays an interesting story of a woman who is working in the ritual firework industry. Venukumar said that the distinctive work and life of the protagonist, Thankamma of Alappuzha, had prompted him to do a film on her. Venukumar also said that this is the only woman engaged in such a dangerous job.

Shailaja Padindala's ten-minute short film ‘Memories of a Machine’ portrays the sexual experiences and abuses that a woman had to undergo since childhood. “The movie does not take any stand. It just says the story, leaving the viewers to create an opinion,” said Shailaja. She had already written a script and is planning to do a Kannada feature film in the near future.

Jibin Rajan’s short film ‘Memories of March’ is an adaptation of M T Vasudevan Nair’s ‘Kadalasuthonni’ and it says the story of a man who sheds his thoughts about suicide and embraces his life again after watching the experiences of a dying boy.