The big small celebration: 12th Bengaluru Int'l Short Film Festival turns to a hybrid format

A moment from The Silent Echo by Suman Sen

In a fast-shrinking world, small is big. The ongoing Bengaluru International Short Film Festival is an example of the rising demand for short films. Since 2010, the festival has been serving an audience of cinephiles and filmmakers. The pandemic forced them to shift to the online medium with surprising results. Anand Varadaraj, founder and director of the festival says, "In 2021, we had 2,00,000 hits on the first day." This led to the recognition of the online platform as an effective means to reach audiences.

This year, the festival that kicked off yesterday, will continue till August 14 in a hybrid format that includes the theatrical screenings, and online access for audiences in the country. With the categories of international and national section, the entries span the range of Indian languages.

Anand Varadaraj

Filmmaker Varun Grover, whose film KISS will feature in the Indian category, admits that the big screen should take prominence as a community-viewing experience, but concedes to the convenience of online platforms. Grover's film joins works by four other Mumbai filmmakers. The city is well represented by directors Devashish Makhija, Nihit Bhave, Shailendra Kumar Jha and Viraj Zunjarrao in the Indian section. Describing his take on censorship, Grover says, "Through KISS, I wanted to go deeper into the minds of people who impose restrictions on art and expression."

Log on to: bisff.in to register for the online festival

The Guide's top 5 picks

>> Cycle by Devashish Makhija
Makhija's short film has already won praise for its portrayal of the systemic violence inflicted on tribal communities.

>> The Silent Echo by Suman Sen
This admirable short tells the story of four teens in Nepal who spend their free time playing music in an abandoned bus, before they decide to join a band competition.

>> The Way We Are by Nihit Bhave
This moving short by the writer-director elaborates on the acceptance of their own identity and self by a married couple after a long struggle.

>> Mr Lawyer by Sumit Purohit
The struggle of legal hurdles, finding the truth and the role of lawyers in serving justice come together in this remarkable short (above) by Sumit Purohit.

>> The Horse From Heaven by Maharshi Kashyap
Kashyap's short film touches on the absurdity of faith and fervour by dishing out a modern take on the fable of a man and his donkey.