The International Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA), starting April 22, has announced the shorts-documentaries in competition, giving them a solus highlight. The winners can rejoice. They will get unusual prizes that link directly with their chosen profession. The awards include software from Final Draft, Avid, Showbiz Scheduling and Budgeting software, a scholarship to the New York Film Academy and a subscription to Baseline. IFFLA’s shorts and docs competition contenders are listed below. They comprise an exciting package of festival favourites alongside others that are new and deserving of attention. Most are in digi-beta format, with just a couple adhering to 35 mm.
Shorts-Narrative
Mumbai’s Srinivas Sunderrajan’s Vaapsi, 4 minutes, a stunning, introspective look at a struggling actor’s pursuit of fame and fortune in Mumbai. This film won the top prize at MAMI this year. The director is a 2007 IFFLA Grand Jury prize winner for his short, Tea Break. From Pune, Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni’s Three Of Us (14 minutes), screened at Berlin festival earlier this year, about a couple worrying about the future of their 40-year old disabled and bed-ridden son. Kulkarni’s earlier short Girni was also a 2006 IFFLA award winner. US-based Geeta Malik’s Beast (16 minutes) and in Digibeta, looks at lending lustre to a mousy Indian girl in the next cubicle.
From India, Dhiraj Meshram’s 22-minute film, Haravilele Indradhanush, about a young man Sameer returning to his village after twenty years and recalling a petty squabble with his brother that has plagued him with guilt ever since.
From the UK is Amit Gupta’s Love Story (13 minutes and in 35mm) about a young girl who asks her father, “Why do you love Mummy?” which makes him recall how he met his wife and what he could do for the woman he loves. From India, Atul Sabharwal’s 19-minute Midnight Lost And Found, about Arvind, caged in his lonely late-night convenience stand, and his relationship with a Mumbai prostitute who stops by each night to buy condoms.
Ritesh Batra’s The Morning Ritual (10 minutes) on a young boy’s comic journey to relieve himself that takes him across the city and towards an unexpected destination.
Atul Taishete’s Rewind (9 minutes), an intriguing mystery film told entirely in reverse about a group of thieves who play Russian Roulette to decide who gets to keep all of their heist money.
From New York, Alex Smith’s 3 minute Sari (W)rap, in which comedienne Rasika Mathur celebrates the six-yard dress from India embellished with infamous musical genre spoofs.
Documentaries
Hyderabad-based Preeya Nair’s acclaimed 23 minute documentary Quamar - Working To Live and a UK-India co-production, about 10-year-old Quamar yearning to go to school but forced by her needy family to work daily at making bangles.
R. Rohini’s Silent Hues (39 minutes) about children of varying social, economic backgrounds who try to enter the Indian film industry as child actors, some willingly and others as breadwinners.
From Italy (37 minutes) a film in Betacam SP, Under The Ahmedabad Sky, looks at the beautiful annual kite festival in Ahmedabad and the economics and rituals behind it.
Spot News!
The 5th South Asian International Film Festival which takes place in New York October 22 to 28, has announced that its short film competition in 2008 will be sponsored by HBO. Upto five finalists will win a HBO cash award, including the opportunity to screen their winning film on the HBO Channel, HBO.com and the HBO family of networks. Send your entries - the deadline for submissions is August 1, 2008.
