India Shorts is a curated selection of short films that have their origins in India. Featuring animation, drama and documentaries, the films cover topics ranging from poverty, child labour, acid attacks, women's rights, relationships, urbanisation and folk lore to the perils of having a rooster as a pet.
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title: Interior Cafe Night
synopsis: a multi-award winning short meditating on love, loss and reunion in a Kolkata café. With veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah in the only short film he’s ever starred in. director: Adhiraj Bose drama 13 mins 8 secs 2014 |
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title: Printed Rainbow
synopsis: the journey of an old woman and her cat through their own fantastical world, Rao painted the entire film frame by frame over three years. Printed Rainbow premiered in Cannes Critic's Week in 2006, winning three awards in Cannes and twenty-two other international awards. director: Gitanjali Rao animation 15 mins 13 secs 2005 |
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title: The Gatekeeper
synopsis: a poetic film about the humdrum life of a man who guards a railway crossing on the outskirts of the city. His only source of pleasure is watching the trains passing by. And his own reflections. director: Atanu Mukherjee drama 14 mins 31 secs 2018 |
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title: Good Morning Mumbai!
synopsis: a wry, darkly comic animation that addresses the overcrowded and unsanitary life of the poor in the city of Mumbai, and how they are made to pay for continuing urbanisation. directors: Rajesh Thakare and Troy Vasanth animation 12 mins 41 secs 2012 |
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title: Keli
synopsis: an animated tale of ancient Kerala folk figure Pottan Theyyam and how his wild, fire-lit dancing enthrals a little girl in the audience - and evokes dreams in her mother. The film is tenderly hand-drawn, frame by frame. director: Ranjitha Rajeevan animation 6 mins 48 secs 2013 |
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title: Audacity
synopsis: a thirteen-year-old girl has her first real confrontation with authority when her father forbids her from playing the American dance music she loves. A dark comedy about parental authority, teenage rebellion, curry, whiskey and house music. director: Anirban Roy drama 13 mins 37 secs 2012 |
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title: The Joy of Giving
synopsis: shot in Mumbai, this film finds an Irani café owner catching a local boy stealing sweets from his counter. As the tale unfolds it becomes apparent to the owner that the boy steals in order to eat. director: Shlok Sharma drama 9 mins 20 secs 2010 |
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title: Tungrus
synopsis: family life is disrupted when father adopts a rooster as a pet. Despite everyone (including the two family cats) trying to adjust to the new situation, Tungrus’ constant crowing and aggression drives the film to its inevitable conclusion. A multi-awarding winning real life comedy. director: Rishi Chanda documentary 12 mins 54 secs 2019 |
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title: Miyan Kal Aana
synopsis: a man divorces his wife Shagufta in a fit of rage, but now wants her back. But, following Islamic marriage practice, he can’t remarry her until she's married - and been divorced by - another man. He pays a local mullah to marry her on the condition that he'll divorce her the next day. But the mullah refuses to let Shagufta go. director: Shamas Nawab Siddiqui drama 17 mins 20 secs 2016 |
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title: B’neath The Flyover
synopsis: the life and challenges of destitute living on the roadside in India. The film highlights the socio-economic disparities that become an excuse for violation of rights, as those already suffering become victims of the police. director: Md. Amirudsin documentary 9 mins 50 secs 2015 |
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title: Tumling Street
synopsis: a beautiful, multi-award winning film made using hand-built sets, stop-motion animated figures and digital animation. Set in Sikkim on India’s north-east border, the film follows a young girl’s day-to-day struggles. director: Anindita Mondal animation 5 mins 10 secs 2015 |
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title: Aram Sei (In Fairness)
synopsis: a young boy is interrupted on his way to school by the sight of wind-fallen mangoes, but the mango tree owner is far from pleased when the boy helps himself. A simple tale of sharing, brotherhood and compassion. director: M Balasubramanian drama 7 mins 37 secs 2015 |
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title: Chotu Chaiwal (Little Tea Boy)
synopsis: the story of a deprived child labourer, Chotu Chaiwal addresses the right to education, something that is a distant hope for many in India. Chotu Chaiwal also illustrates how children in terrible poverty still continually search for happiness. director: Chirag Pandya & Priya Sogani drama 7 mins 6 secs 2017 |
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title: The Rice Mill Story
synopsis: the film's protaganist never realised that, for a small amount of money paid as an advance, he would end up in bonded labour. Promised a wage of sixty thousand rupees, he is given just five hundred. The story captures the struggle of bonded labourers and their families worldwide. director: Amith Krishnan documentary 6 mins 26 secs 2017 |
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title: Women
synopsis: using mime and a poetic commentary, Women highlights various human rights violations of women, and the challenges they face in day to day life - upholding their right to equality, health, dignity and freedom. director: Pawan Singh drama 10 mins 16 secs 2016 |
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title: Tritio Chad (The Third Roof)
synopsis: Tritio Chad is the story of a woman who once dreamt of flying kites in the sky, but was told that to do so she needs the help of a man. Her father and brother failed. Now everything depends on her husband. The film wraps around her journey to freedom. director: Tathagata Chatterjee drama 10 mins 2018 |
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title: Gulp
synopsis: an environmentally-led film focusing on the continuing onslaught of urban development resulting in loss of natural habitat told through the eyes of an elderly man. director: Vijeendra Syam drama 9 mins 28 secs 2019 |