BISFF-2019-web

FUNKY LOLA 17 mins | | Spain

JULIO MAS ALCARAZ

Synopsis:
Isabel is around 70 years old. She lives alone in an old

apartment in Madrid. Her son has serious debt problems but
he cannot work because he is serving jailtime, and is only
released on a few weekends on parole. Isabel starts a daring,
resolute endeavour to find a job and help him, as obstacles
arise and her frustration increases, she ends up making a bold
and surprising decision.

About the director:
Filmmaker and poet, has directed several short films, has

published five books of poetry, has been a finalist in the
National Prize, and has been the director of several
companies. He is a Master of Arts in Filmmaking from the
London Film School. He also has an MBA and has a degree in
Economic Sciences.

2019 201

GADHUL 25 mins | Marathi | India

GANESH SHELAR

Synopsis:
Gadhul is a story of the relationship between a son (Rohit,

14) and his mother (Latika, 35). An incident takes place on the
death anniversary of their father which takes a toll on Rohit’s
relationship with his mother.

About the director:
Ganesh Shelar was born in Pune and had attended a film

making workshop by Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni (National Film
Award Winner). After the workshop, Mr.Ganesh wrote and
directed his first short film Jokhad (The Burden) in 2015.
Later, he wrote and directed a short film Gadhul (Turbid) in
2018.

2019 202

GANDASKATRI 20 mins | Kannada | India

ROHIT PADAKI

Synopsis:
Based on TP Kailasam’s play Gandaskatri, this short film is

about two men whose lives are at the mercy of a seductress.
Sanjeev meets his old friend Ashwath, only to discover that
he’s now married to his ex. As the two meet again, sparks fly
and a sinister plan of deceit comes to the fore.

About the director:
Rohith Padaki is a director and actor, known for Dayavittu

Gamanisi (2017), Ashtralle Just Missoo (2019) and Jessie
(2016).

2019 203

GOLDEN TOILET 30 mins | Marathi | India

UMESH MALAN

Synopsis:
Golden Toilet is based on a true story in rural Maharashtra

where it’s rare for houses to have toilets. People have to go to
secluded spots or open fields to excrete. The movie is one such
story of a concerned mother, determined to build a toilet at
home. In spite of strong opposition and a lack of funds, will she
be able to do it?

2019 204

GOODFELLAS 10 mins | Kannada | India

PRAKASH S R

Synopsis:
Five small-time criminals are out on their first big mission.

Find out what happens next.

About the director:
Prakash S R is a Writer and director based in Bengaluru.

He gained interest in Filmmaking during his Engineering days.
Prakash believes Films are more of an emotional medium and
not a logical medium. Movies should emotionally connect to
the audience, be it a Comedy movie or a Thriller movie.
“Goodfellas” (Olle Hudugaru) is his first Short movie.

2019 205

GRAHAK 19 mins | Hindi | India

VIPAN MALAWAT

Synopsis:
This film is about a prostitute’s life - how she relates to the

outside world and how she finds her own space, which is much
better than ‘out there’.

About the director:
Hailing from Punjab, Vipan has graduated from State

Institute of Film and TV, Rohtak, with a specialisation in
Direction. He has the experience of working with leading
directors in various short films. This film is his degree project.

2019 206

HABÍA UNA VEZ 6 mins | Spanish | Spain

LAURA TORRIJOS BESCOS

Synopsis:
A group of children sing and play by the window of a

basement, unaware of what is on the other side.

About the director:
Laura Torrijos Bescos is a filmmaker who has directed The

life ahead (2015) Homo 35 (2016) Once upon a time (2018) so
far.

2019 207

HAL 18 mins | Other | India

RAM SURAT ISRAR

Synopsis:
This is the story of a boy and his grandmother. Life is goes

on, meanwhile they come across a problem and the boy tries
to find out a solution.

About the director:
Ram Surat has done a degree in Mass Communication

from the University of Allahabad and also has an M. Phil. in “An
analytical study of Girmitiya issues as represented in
documentary films”. He has also made a documentary as an
assignment named ‘The Struggle of Competitor’.

2019 208

HALF AND HALF 10 mins | French | France

BAPTISTE DRAPEAU

Synopsis:
On a deserted battlefield, CLOVIS, a knight, awakens in

two pieces! Another knight from the opponent side,
RICHARD, is in the same situation. After a battle, the two half-
men are stuck to each other. They have to find a way to
separate from each other.

2019 209

HAPPY 7 mins | Hindi | India

DEVASHISH MAKHIJA

Synopsis:
A young girl is forced to re-enact a juvenile rape. She is

then revealed to be a helpless victim of a much larger, more
vicious, yet casual misogyny.

About the director:
Devashish Makhija has researched and assisted with

Black Friday, and was the chief assistant director on Bunty aur
Babli. By Two, a story by him in the omnibus Mumbai Noir, has
been adapted into a feature film, directed by him next year. He
has written and directed the multiple awardees Taandav,
El’ayichi, Agli Baar, Rahim Murge pe mat ro and Absent, the
full length feature film, Ajji and Bhonsle.

2019 210

HAPPY BREAKUP 9 mins | Kannada | India

SANTHOSH G

Synopsis:
HAPPY BREAK UP ! What if you run into your ex-lover

after several years? It sounds like a rather interesting situation
to be in. Here is a story of a couple who are meeting after a
decade. Their break-up was bitter, but they’ve finally sorted
their issues out. What’s in store for them now?

About the director:
A native of Bangalore, Santhosh worked in the IT industry

for four years. But his lingering passion for cinema grew
stronger every day and in 2009, he finally quit the corporate
world to realize his dreams as a filmmaker. Since then, he has
donned multiple roles in cinema. After having worked as an
Assistant Director in “Aaptha” and “Premagaami”, he became
an Associate Director on the film “Badmaash”.

2019 211

HAPPY MARRIAGE

ERIK JASA? 13 mins | Slovak | Slovakia

Synopsis:
A married couple which breaks apart after the death of

their only child, Andrej and Eva are inevitably getting to the
point of the imaginary crossroad. There is nothing keeping
Eva in the marriage so she deeply desires to leave, but Andrej
is becoming self-aware of his aggressive nature and tries to
change the situation of their marriage.

About the director:
Erik is an avid director, writer and producer. “Happy

Marriage” is his debut short film, that he hopes will help boost
his carrer as a filmmaker.

2019 212

HARMLESS 19 mins | English, Hindi | India

VISHESH MANKAL

Synopsis:
A boy is down on his luck, a girl is looking for thrills, a plot is

hatched and a kidnapping is staged. As far as crimes go, this
one seems harmless. But as with all things, there is a price to
pay, a ‘hefty price’. Harmless begins as a crime-thriller and
develops into a dramatic adventure with a little bit of romance
thrown in. It can be seen as a mix between Bonnie and Clyde
and It Happened One Night.

About the director:
Vishesh Mankal has been making short films since he was

in college. His first film Suicide (2006) gave him direction and
got his journey started. In 2008, his short film “Peacock”
managed to make a splash at the festival circuit and gain some
accolades. He started making videos for small organizations
and eventually became a video editor at Yash Raj Films. He is
currently hoping to get his first feature film funded soon.

2019 213

HARU’S NEW YEAR

ALICE SHIN 19 mins | | Canada, Japan

Synopsis:
New year, new country, new school. Haru has a lot to

adjust to in Canada let alone figuring out how to make new
friends while still missing the ones she left behind in Japan.
When Haru learns about her weird classmate Frances who
doesn’t often appear at school, she wonders more about this
mysterious person.

About the director:
She has worked in Japan, Korea, USA, and Canada as a

director, producer, and editor. Her current project follows a
young immigrant living in Toronto, titled ‘Haru’s New Year’,
supported by the Reel Asian International Film Festival,
Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, and the Canada
Council for the Arts”

2019 214

HOME 13 mins | Tagalog | Philippines

ALSEN ESTRELLA

Synopsis:
Sabel searches for his younger brother Bert, as they

escape from Yani, an evil entity inside their home.

About the director:
Alsen Estrella is a fresh graduate from De La Salle College

of Saint Benilde in the field ofDigital Filmmaking. He has won
several awards during college while experimenting
withvarious genres and themes. He’s very ambitious in
creating unique ideas to make his filmstandout. He’s also fond
of creating commercials and hopes to do it in the near future.
As afilmmaker, his goal is to create more films at the same time
improve his skills as a writer anddirector. He aims to make
films that is viewed on a global scale and collaborate with
otherfilmmakers around the world.

2019 215

HONEST REVIEW 5 mins | Kannada | India

PRAKASH

Synopsis:
Its all about the review! Watch out for the thriller video

which indicates everything about the reviews and whats
happening.

About the director:
A passionate and devoted writer, director and film maker,

Prakash is a post graduate in mass communication and
journalism from Manipal University. He has worked as a
writer for a Film magazine of coastal wood and is an actor in a
theater team as well as a copy writer in a ad agency. Currently,
he is pursuing his theatre studies diploma in Ninasam Theatre
Institute, Shimogga.

2019 216

HRIDAYA NU RUDAN

BURHANUDDIN 14 mins | Gujarati | India
DOHADWALA

Synopsis:
A man governed by his ego loses everything to his

fatherhood.

2019 217

HUAJIANG GIRLS 18 mins | Chinese, English |
Taiwan
LIU YUEH-MING

Synopsis:
K is in senior high, the tutoring class every once a week is

the most private time for her. Her tutor, Xian-xian, is a college
student focusing on English Literature. During the class, Xian-
xian helps K make progress in reading comprehension and
unintentionally leads K to discover her inner-self.

About the director:
Liu Yueh-Ming? is a ?Taiwan actor and director?. ?He used

to act in? ?dozens of? ?independent films? ?and student films?
and in 2014?,?? ?he was? ?nominated at the Les Lutins Short
Film. He has received an award for the best actor? ?for the
short film? ?”Shadow”? ?by Lorenzo Recio?.?? ?Since 2005?,
?he has been creating his? ?own work? ?and? ?still?
?performing? ?as well.

2019 218

HUMAN 7 mins | Arabic, French, Other
| Algeria
ISSAM TAACHIT

Synopsis:
The movie tells the story of a Trisomic child , He goes to

the stadium, he finds a group of healthy normal children
playing football. He wanted to play with them. One of those
children refuse to let the child with Trisomy play with them.
The sick child was quite sad so he while he was lying on the
grass, he starts imagining a story , he pictures himself in a
world full of successfull Trisomic kids, and the plot unfolds
from there.

About the director:
Issam has obtained an International degree in film

directing and has been awarded nationally and internationally
in the field of acting and cinema. Issam is the director of 5
award winning short films nationally and internationally and is
also a professional actor in the national theaters with 15
professional plays. He has participated in at least 30 national
and international festivals and has been framed in the
Algerian University of audiovisual students in short films.

2019 219

I AM SUPERMAN 20 mins | Portuguese | Brazil

RODRIGO BATISTA

Synopsis:
Lucas, a black 7-year-old boy, attends a birthday party

dressed up as Superman. Eric, a white 7-year-old, the birthday
kid, had the same idea as Lucas in deciding what to wear. Now
they will do anything and go to any extent to prove who the
real Man of Steel is.

About the director:
Rodrigo Batista, a Brazilian screenwriter and director,

graduated from University of Sao Paulo in Audiovisual Arts. In
2012, he was granted a Fulbright Fellowship and went to the
U.S. where he received a master’s degree in Writing for the
Screen and Stage from Northwestern University. He is the
writer and director of the short film “I am Superman”, selected
for more than 30 film festivals in 12 countries.

2019 220

I CAME FROM THE FUTURE

DAVE LOJEK 4 mins | English, Polish, French
| Poland, Germany

Synopsis:
A brooding businessman reads his own suicide note, but

finds more questions than answers about time travel. He
stands aloof.

About the director:
Award-winning director and producer Dave Lojek was

born in East-Berlin in 1975. He has over 1288 screenings of
his works at international film festivals worldwide. Dave
studied English and Culture at Humboldt-University in Berlin.
As independent filmmaker and organizer of annual film
workshops (KinoKabarets) he teaches short film making and
distribution. Mr. Lojek won 157 film awards and entertained
an audience of more than 2 million people on all continents at
film festivals, on TV, and online by 2018. I came from the
future, Snitch, The Last Supper, Keeper are some of his recent
films.

2019 221

IDOLATRY 20 mins | Hebrew | Israel

MORAN NAKAR

Synopsis:
Naama is confident her partner, who unsuccessfully tries

to conceive, wants something else in life. When their
relationship starts to crumble, Naama goes out to ask for a
radical and an unrealistic solution.

About the director:
A 28 year old, raised in national religious education. Left

religion, came out of the closet and found out that life as a
lesbian is not exactly what was promised. In 2015; writer,
director, and producer of a short documentary film, “Al Daat
Hamakom”, “Monologim Mehamonita”. Edited and produced
the short film “Zaam” which was featured in dozens of festivals
around the world. In 2017; writer and director of a graduation
film, “Idolatry”, supported by the Rabinovich foundation.

2019 222

INLOVE 7 mins | French | France

LES FRERES LOPEZ

Synopsis:
While on patrol in a Middle Eastern country, a western

army squad stops for a while in the village of Iqmarba…

2019 223

INSANE LOVE 20 mins | | Italy

EITAN PITIGLIANI

Synopsis:
Alessandro is a young Italian fashion model whose life

seems to have reached a dead end when, one day, walking
down the streets of Rome, he bumps into Sophia, a young girl
from Argentina, with whom he falls desperately in love. Loving
her becomes the whole purpose of his life, to such a point that
it seems to take him to another world.

About the director:
Eitan studied directing in New York and London.In this life,

his first short film was selected at numerous film festivals,
including the prestigeuos Corti d’Argento. In 2015, he
released Like a Butterfly, a film with more than 20 awards.
Insane love is his fourth short film release.

2019 224

IRENE 15 mins | Portuguese |
Portugal
JOÃO MARTINHO

Synopsis:
Irene finds herself in a strange place. It’s her dates house

and his mother is present.

About the director:
Joao Martinho is a graduate in directing from the Lisbon

Theatre and Film School where, he was the screenwriter for
the short film “Devoluto Vermelho” (2016) and producer of
“Onde Foi a Minha Sorte?” (2016), which won the National
Competition Prize of the Córtex Festival. He has also edited
several shorts, including “Fogo de Artificio” (2017).“Irene” is
his second film.

2019 225

ISLE OF CAPRI 5 mins | Swedish | Sweden

MÅNS BERTHAS

Synopsis:
Lina’s grandmother is in a severe state of Alzheimer’s

disease. In order to make her remember again, Lina abducts
her from the hospital and takes her to her abandoned
childhood home.

About the director:
Måns Berthas was born in Sundsvall, a small town in

Sweden. In 2015 he directed Champion which debuted at
Göteborg Film Festival and was screened in more than fifty
film festivals around the world . Bitchboy and Vila i frid (Rest
in Peace) are both from 2016. In 2018 , his Isle of Capri, which
was one of the winners of the Nespresso Talents - Cannes Film
Festival 2018. Bottleneck (2019) is his latest short.

2019 226

JOY 10 mins | Tamil | India

MOHANRAJ SIVALINGAM

Synopsis:
Tarun wants sports shoes for his birthday, but his father

cannot afford them. He and his sister, Harini, exhibit how
people with all the necessities and beyond, can help the less
privileged.

About the director:
Mohanraj has grown up watching many worldy movies

and has always wanted to become a filmmaker. He has been a
part of many commercials as an assistant director and is now
steering towards an independent direction.

2019 227

KAM DI GAL 9 mins | Urdu | Pakistan

JABRAN ZAFAR

Synopsis:
It is the portrayal of the fact that no matter what the

education,class,age,socioeconomic status or IQ of a person
is,he can give you a good advice,tell you something of great
value.So we should pay attention when somebody tries to tell
us something important regardless of his apparent
personality.

About the director:
Jabran Zafar is a part time filmmaker who comes from a

small city Khushab in Punjab, Pakistan. His films Ghunchah,
The gift and Kam di Gal have got international acclamation.
Kam di Gal was declared 2nd best international film at the 3rd
Acharya Tulsi short film festival.The gift won best
cinematography-jury prize in Shunya international film
festival’s January edition 2019. Jabran has just graduated
from medical school and is training in medicine.

2019 228

KARMA 10 mins | Hindi | india

VAIBHAV GATTANI

Synopsis:
Two detectives are resolving a rare case and are figuring

out if it is murder or suicide.

About the director:
Vaibhav Gattani`s strong desire to tell a story that touches

a common man’s heart is what keeps him going. He has a
specialized degree in VFX and has enrolled for many online
filmmaking courses. He has also edited a few music videos and
written, directed and edited short films produced under his
banner ICESCAPE FILMS.

2019 229

KATRAN 15 mins | Hindi | India

PREM SINGH

Synopsis:
Katran is the story of an elderly couple who decide to part

ways after 36 years of their marriage. In the end, they realize
that in some corners of their house still resides a little love
that will bring them together.

About the director:
Prem Singh fell in love with Films at the age of eighteen

when he watched Life is Beautiful (La vita è bella). After a
Diploma in Animation, he began working on his first
Hollywood feature film as an Animator. He desires to make
films depicting everyday life stories.

2019 230

KIM 5 mins | No Dialogue | France

(MULTIPLE DIRECTORS)

Synopsis:
The young Kim is the heir of a spiritual chief in a totalitarian

regime. Innocent as he is, Kim finds himself propelled towards
the head of the country; However, he just want to have fun.
The country then takes a completely new face.

About the director:
Lucas Lermytte, Simon Krieger, Mathilde Dugardin, Simon

Ameye, Antoine Dupriez and Thibaud Colin have graduated
from the Pôle IIID school (Roubaix, France). In 2018, they co-
directed the short film “Kim”.

2019 231

KINDNESS PALLET 5 mins | Persian | Iran, Islamic
Republic of
YASAMIN ARSHIA

Synopsis:
There is a big basket in the store that people need to take

their goods from there, but one day ...

About the director:
Yasamin Arshia is a director and writer, known for The

Story of an Apple (2018) and Kindness Pallet (2019).

2019 232

KODI 20 mins | Kannada | India

NAYAN AREHALLI

Synopsis:
A film about how an incident that occurs in one place, can

have an impact on the lives of people in another.

About the director:
An actor and theater director in Kannada, Nayan has

received two ‘best actor’ awards for theatrical plays. Now, he
has taken a step into the film industry and acted in two TV
shows and three Kannada movies. He has also directed three
short films and recorded two singles from an album.

2019 233

LA FORTEZZA 20 mins | Italian | Italy

STEFANO RUSSO

Synopsis:
The Fortress, entirely shot on the island of Ischia, is the

story of Vito, the estranged father of a ten-year-old
Sebastiano. With the help of Vito’s partner, Lucia, father and
son will try to rebuild the broken bond between them. “La
Fortress” is also an opportunity to explore the historical
beauties of the island, its folk tradition and its wildest nature.

About the director:
Stefanoru studied Geology at the University of Naples. In

1994 his short film Un Paradiso, directed with Paolo
Sorrentino, was screened at Palermo Cinema and since 1998,
he has been writing screenplays for TV. In 2002, his Sei Quello
Che Mangi won “PescaraCortoScript”, a contest of scripts for
short films. In 2007 he won the 1st edition of ENDAS
INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER COMPETITION with
the script IL Viaggio Di Rosa, receiving the prize from the
hands of Syd Field himself.

2019 234

LA PHOTOGRAPHE 12 mins | No Dialogues |
France
BERTRAND NORMAND

Synopsis:
Helena walks in the gardens of the Versailles palace,

photographing statues of antique gods. Through her camera,
she perceives the presence of a male statue that has come to
life and is lurking around her. She runs away, but the statue
finds her. Helena decides to face it.

About the director:
Bertrand Normand studied filmmaking at the Vancouver

Film School in Canada and acting at the Jack Garfein Studio in
Paris. His first fiction feature is currently in development.

2019 235

LE GRAFFITI 9 mins | French, Portugese |
France
AURELIEN LAPLACE

Synopsis:
Stupor in the city: this morning, someone sprayed graffiti

on the wall of a historical monument! The main people
concerned, the Mayor and Dr. Robin, will have to explain...

About the director:
Since 2001, Aurelien has written and directed six short

films and two clips for Hku and Seldom Colin. With each new
film, he explores the theme of the unsettling of daily life or
how characters entangled in a routine see suddenly their life
switch and their upended bearings among other. This led him
to develop comedies to offbeat tone. Aurélien is also currently
working on a new comedy feature film.

2019 236

LEAVE US ALONE 14 mins | English | India

SHYAM ESHWAR, PRANAV
BLAZE

Synopsis:
A mother wakes up one morning to find an intruder in the

house. The film deals with her struggle to protect herself and
her family from the intruder. The happenings spiral down into
something sinister.

About the director:
Pranav Blaze and Shyam Eshwar are two aspiring film

makers and writers from Bengaluru.

2019 237

LIFE ON MARS 17 mins | French | France

MARIE LÉA REGALES

Synopsis:
Maria wanders around her neighborhood in the North of

Corsica. Tomorrow her missing brother Stéphane will turn 20,
by a lake, Maria forgets her loneliness and communicates with
lights that visit her at nightfall.

About the director:
Marie Lea Regales was born in Paris in 1993. After a few

years studying editing, she directed her first shortfilm, The
Sirens (Mermaids), n 2017, she produced a collection of very
short experimental self-produced, hand-made, hand-made
pieces without technical support, as a way to create something
alone. Black Hole is part of this collection. Marie is currently
developing a third short film, Nuit Verte, she has won at the
Oberhausen Short Film Festival in 2016 and in 2018 won the
2nd ARTE Award for Best Student Short Film.

2019 238

LINA 9 mins | French | France

DOMINIQUE BARNIAUD

Synopsis:
Lina, a nine year old is facing her first girl troubles. She

does ask her mother for help, but a mother cant do some
things. This is the story of the film.

2019 239

LINE OF DUTY 13 mins | English, Hindi | India

MAYANK MALHOTRA

Synopsis:
Inspired by true events, this is the story of a young recruit

in the Indian army posted at a remote bunker, who is asked to
forego his humane ethics because of rigid border regulations.
With a natural calamity at hand, are all regulations applicable?

About the director:
A graduate in Film from Los Angeles, Mayank started his

career in India as an Assistant Director on big budget feature
films and commercials. Belonging to an army family, Mayank
has grown up in various cities including Mauritius, Bangalore,
New Delhi, Los Angeles and Mumbai. Being a traveller and
storyteller has helped him gaining different outlooks of life
from various parts of the world, and that is a subject which
interests him the most.

2019 240

LOCAL CHANNEL 20 mins | Malayalam | India

SIDHARTH SUNIL

Synopsis:
This film is a story of a common Malayali family living in

Bangalore. It’s a story of a bakery man who gets into a fight
with his neighbor and wants revenge.

2019 241

LOOK AT ME 10 mins | Kannada | India

PRASAD CHERKADY

Synopsis:
A single-take short film, portraying the desire of an

emotionally unstable man to become a reality star using his
erratic behaviour. He has been diagnosed as an Exhibitionist
and Psychotic Delusive, his shenanigans have landed him in
trouble previously, but this is a stepping stone for him.
Ultimately, he wants to be viewed from all over the world.The
film ends with a strong monologue about how he wants to rise
to the Celebrity throne, come what may, leaving the audience
bewildered.

About the director:
Prasad Cherkady is an active practitioner of film making,

theater, and Yakshagana- A Coastal Karnataka dance -drama
repertoire. He acts, writes and directs films. He received the
‘Best Actor’ award at META 2016 for the play “Akshayambara”.
He was formally trained in Psychological Counselling and is
now leaning towards Hindustani classical vocals as well.

2019 242

MADRID-ATOCHA

JORGE DAYAS 6 mins | No Dialogues | Spain

Synopsis:
A commuter train departs at night from a lonely and dark

station. Through the window several episodes take place over
the landscape.

About the director:
Jorge Dayas has created and directed several animated

shorts such as “William Wilson” (1999), “Manipai” (2003),
“The Lady at the Threshold” (2007) and “Araan” (2015).
“Madrid-Atocha” (2019) is his fifth work as a director.

2019 243

MANTO’S MARRIAGE

SHRIVAS NYDU 17 mins | Hindi | India

Synopsis:
The film is an interesting and witty episode of Sadat Hasan

Manto’s life - his marriage and being a man who is
acknowledged for his hard hitting and heart wrenching stories
dealing with social sentiments. This controversial story is
arguably one of the best short stories of the 20th century.

About the director:
Shrivas is a graduate in Graphic Designing and now works

in the Indian Film Industry as a writer and director. He has
made 30 theatrical films for the series titled, Personalities Of
India. His feature film, Balakka-Loved Women has been to
several international film festivls. He has also directed a
feature length documentary Reviving Imagery on Satyajit Ray.
Presently, he is occupied with another feature length
documentary.

2019 244

MARUNNU 10 mins | Malayalam | India

JITHIN JOE FRANCIS

Synopsis:
The film revolves around the life of Nihal, an employee in a

local IT firm. The story depicts the events unfolding in his life
on an unusual day. Events depicted in this film are
coincidentally related to an incident that took place in
Bengaluru in 2016. This story is a pioneer in the discussion of
the subject matter which could be considered a ‘taboo’ with
respect to India’s social norms.

About the director:
Born In Kochi, Kerala, Jithin is an Aeronautical Engineer.

However, he’s currently working as an assistant director in the
Malayalam film Industry, with around 5 films to his credit. This
short is his first attempt at independent film making.

2019 245

MELODI 11 mins | Chinese, Malay |
Singapore
MICHAEL KAM

Synopsis:
An awkward, lonely boy is infatuated with his new

neighbor, a young caregiver. In his own way, he reaches out to
her...

About the director:
Born and raised in Singapore, Michael completed a post-

graduate diploma in film production from Ngee Ann
Polytechnic. He currently teaches in his alma mater in its film
diploma programme. His short films have screened in festivals
such as Berlinale, Uppsala, Encounters, and won awards in
Tampere and Hamburg, among others.

2019 246

MHASANKHAEE 10 mins | Marathi | India

CHETAN PATIL

Synopsis:
This film revolves around a security guard who has just

started working, guarding a new Cremation Ground. The
events that follow make the rest of the plot.

About the director:
Chetan is a director and Mhasankhaee is his second film.

2019 247

MI QUERIDO BALÓN

GAIZKA URRESTI 16 mins | Spanish | Spain

Synopsis:
In 1975, the day that Franco dies, there is no school. In a

village in empty Spain, children play a football match. The ball
belongs to the son of the notary and he sets the rules as he
wants until he scores a penalty goal.

About the director:
Gaizka Urrest is a producer, director, scriptwriter, cultural

manager and teacher of both film and television. He has
directed and produced many films and almost all of them have
won more than a 100 national and international awards,
including a nomination to Goya in 2011 and win as best fiction
short in 2014 Goya Prizes. Last year he premiered his first
feature film Holy Calamity with more than 50,000 spectators
in theaters. He has also produced Incierta Gloria by Agustí
Villaronga.

2019 248

MOM 3 mins | Kannada | India

MANASA SHARMA,
SPARSHA RK

Synopsis:
Khushi is sad and misses her mom on her parents wedding

anniversary. While Ram wants his daughter Khushi to get
along with sowmya, his newly wedded wife, Khushi is
reluctant. Sowmya has to take the first step and decides to
prepare Khushi’s mom’s favorite dish. Khushi is now happy.
Emotions need small gestures for understanding.

About the director:
Manasa Sharma A photographer turned cinematographer

and a short filmmaker. Currently she is pursuing
cinematography in L V Prasad Film institute in Chennai. She
aspires to be a director of bridge films like her idol Puttanna
Kanagal. Sparsha RkA singer turned actor who is also a film
maker. Coming from a literature background, she has great
writing and editing skills. She is keen on taking up direction.

2019 249

MOMENT 5 mins | | India

DEVAVRATHA KALKURA

Synopsis:
When fun dominates us and we forget to take care about

ourself, which comes to a decision we make with life and
choice regretting and etching in a life long memory.

2019 250