13th Chennai International Documentary and Short Film Festival 2025
21-28 February; multiple venues, Chennai
Category – Indian Short Fiction
The Wall
Dir: Kevin Jerome; 9:32 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: In a town divided by a towering wall separating the rich from the poor,a father struggles to provide for his son due to systemic oppression,economic hardship and the barriers created by deeply ingrained social inequality
Swachh Rashtra
Dir: Logesh S; 9:21 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: A content creation team's attempt to make a propaganda video for their clients clean nation campaign is jeopardized by the truth behind the flawed campaign.
The Story of Yuvraj and Shahajahan
Dir: Santosh Ram; 24:51 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: Yuvraj, a young village boy feels drawn to bangle seller, Shahjahan, They Meet in a secluded place. They share their stories with each other. Yuvraj and Shahjahan lead a duel life in a society that detests homosexuality. They depart on the note of meeting again.
Punal
Dir: Arun Kumar; 17:59 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: Tilaga, 30, works as a maid occasionally, but primarily in Shanthi's (40) home. She cleans Shanthi's house, doing tasks like sweeping and mopping. Tilaga and Shanthi appear to have a cordial relationship up until Tilaga feels the need to urinate. Tilaga tries to contain it at first, but as the need to urinate grows, she becomes reluctant to ask Shanthi to let her use the bathroom. Before Tilaga sees a delivery boy asking Shanthi to use the restroom, Tilaga musters the guts to ask her to do so.
Tilaga asks, and Shanthi directs her to a bathroom on the terrace. Tilaga discovers that the restroom is undergoing restoration on the terrace. She returns, notifies Shanthi, and politely requests permission to use her restroom,Shanthi refuses. Tilaga manages to contain her need until she walks the entire way home and unwinds after using the bathroom.
The Last show
Dir: Valavan Velmurugan; 13:21 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: An old dying magician wants to watch a magic show one last time. What happens once he decides to perform and not just to watch it?
Echoes in the Liminal (Antharvasam)
Dir: Sisira S Nath; 13:32 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: This narrative delves into the psyche of a woman, traversing her emotional journey as she seeks liberation through a ritual unfolding in the courtyard of her in-laws' house. As a menstruating woman, societal norms confine Vasuki to the bedroom. However, the enchanting music of the ritual acts as a compelling force, urging her to defy these constraints, break out of her confined space, and immerse herself in the ritual unfolding outside.
One Day in the Afternoon
Dir: Nikhilesh Mishra; 12:18 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: On a summer afternoon in rural Odisha, a seven year old boy realizes that human beings are mortal and has a conversation with his ageing grandfather about this.
Cheesecake
Dir: Sourajit Saha; 9:59 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: An elderly couple overcomes their differences following their son's death and is about to celebrate their dead child's birthday with his favorite cheesecake. A knock on the door changes their world again.
Seaspeaker
Dir: Parvathi Nayar; 16:30 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: Faith and knowledge entwine to flow deep within fisher elder S Palayam, who lives in the fishing village of Urur Olcott Kuppam, located in the South Indian city of Chennai.
Palayam Anna, as he is fondly known, has been recording data on wind, weather, Ocean currents and conditions daily, since September 2018, from his home near the mouth of the Adyar river. “Science of the Seas” is a project he has created together with writer/researcher Nityanand Jayaraman, to record, analyse and transmit their learnings. What the data suggests, among other things, is how the seasons and climactic conditions of the sea are changing due to the impact of unregulated human activity.
Seaspeaker celebrates not only Palayam Anna’s knowledge creation but also his prowess as a storyteller. Mingled with a generational understanding of the seas are Palayam Anna’s own experiences of what it means to live as a fisher, which he shares through richly detailed stories.
The film features one such tale from Palayam Anna’s youth, when he sailed the seas to catch Kola fish (flying fish). The narrative is brought to life by Kalaimamani Muthuchandran Rao, a sixth-generation shadow puppeteer from Tamil Nadu, and his team, using puppets specially created for Seaspeaker.
Bundle of joy
Dir: dhivya jothi ravishankar; 3:00 min; Short fiction; India
Asian College of Journalism Student Showcase
Dir: Debodinna Chakravarty, Kritika Tiwari, Jyothsana Mani, Nainu Oomen, Sophiya Menon, Aryan Mahtta, Mohammad Ibrahim Mojid, Zaid Nazir, Malavika Prasad; 18:15 min; Short fiction; India
Poli
Dir: Janvi Madabusi; 4:59 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: "POLI" follows the story of Ajji, a hardworking matriarch who runs a puran poli business from home. She cares for Prapti, who helps with the business, and Shruti, her neighbour’s child. Shruti uses puran poli dough to make dolls, placing them on the "good" or "bad" side based on what she hears from the men in her life.
This film is an exploration of feminism through the eyes of a child, who chooses to see women as strong and capable, regardless of the traditional narratives she hears around her.
The Moon
Dir: Niyantha Shekar; 11:13 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: Under the glow of a full moon, a romantic and a cynic argue about its beauty. But as the banter turns heated, things become personal, deepening the mystery of their connection.
Pink Nights
Dir: Aasa Asok; 13:39 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: A happy couple. One night of freedom. As the wife is out on a girls' night, restraints are broken and the hidden cost of their happiness emerges. Only to vanish into the shadows the next morning.
Shakespeare what's in the name?
Dir: GIRISH NILKANTH RAMTEKE; 19:20 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: A mere change in name brings 24 years of happy marriage on the brink of Divorce. Ashok in his efforts to persuade Ashwini to change her mind, leads to unearth the ugly truth of their personal.
The Wall
Dir: Kevin Jerome; 9:32 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: In a town divided by a towering wall separating the rich from the poor,a father struggles to provide for his son due to systemic oppression,economic hardship and the barriers created by deeply ingrained social inequality
Swachh Rashtra
Dir: Logesh S; 9:21 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: A content creation team's attempt to make a propaganda video for their clients clean nation campaign is jeopardized by the truth behind the flawed campaign.
The Story of Yuvraj and Shahajahan
Dir: Santosh Ram; 24:51 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: Yuvraj, a young village boy feels drawn to bangle seller, Shahjahan, They Meet in a secluded place. They share their stories with each other. Yuvraj and Shahjahan lead a duel life in a society that detests homosexuality. They depart on the note of meeting again.
Punal
Dir: Arun Kumar; 17:59 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: Tilaga, 30, works as a maid occasionally, but primarily in Shanthi's (40) home. She cleans Shanthi's house, doing tasks like sweeping and mopping. Tilaga and Shanthi appear to have a cordial relationship up until Tilaga feels the need to urinate. Tilaga tries to contain it at first, but as the need to urinate grows, she becomes reluctant to ask Shanthi to let her use the bathroom. Before Tilaga sees a delivery boy asking Shanthi to use the restroom, Tilaga musters the guts to ask her to do so.
Tilaga asks, and Shanthi directs her to a bathroom on the terrace. Tilaga discovers that the restroom is undergoing restoration on the terrace. She returns, notifies Shanthi, and politely requests permission to use her restroom,Shanthi refuses. Tilaga manages to contain her need until she walks the entire way home and unwinds after using the bathroom.
The Last show
Dir: Valavan Velmurugan; 13:21 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: An old dying magician wants to watch a magic show one last time. What happens once he decides to perform and not just to watch it?
Echoes in the Liminal (Antharvasam)
Dir: Sisira S Nath; 13:32 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: This narrative delves into the psyche of a woman, traversing her emotional journey as she seeks liberation through a ritual unfolding in the courtyard of her in-laws' house. As a menstruating woman, societal norms confine Vasuki to the bedroom. However, the enchanting music of the ritual acts as a compelling force, urging her to defy these constraints, break out of her confined space, and immerse herself in the ritual unfolding outside.
One Day in the Afternoon
Dir: Nikhilesh Mishra; 12:18 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: On a summer afternoon in rural Odisha, a seven year old boy realizes that human beings are mortal and has a conversation with his ageing grandfather about this.
Cheesecake
Dir: Sourajit Saha; 9:59 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: An elderly couple overcomes their differences following their son's death and is about to celebrate their dead child's birthday with his favorite cheesecake. A knock on the door changes their world again.
Seaspeaker
Dir: Parvathi Nayar; 16:30 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: Faith and knowledge entwine to flow deep within fisher elder S Palayam, who lives in the fishing village of Urur Olcott Kuppam, located in the South Indian city of Chennai.
Palayam Anna, as he is fondly known, has been recording data on wind, weather, Ocean currents and conditions daily, since September 2018, from his home near the mouth of the Adyar river. “Science of the Seas” is a project he has created together with writer/researcher Nityanand Jayaraman, to record, analyse and transmit their learnings. What the data suggests, among other things, is how the seasons and climactic conditions of the sea are changing due to the impact of unregulated human activity.
Seaspeaker celebrates not only Palayam Anna’s knowledge creation but also his prowess as a storyteller. Mingled with a generational understanding of the seas are Palayam Anna’s own experiences of what it means to live as a fisher, which he shares through richly detailed stories.
The film features one such tale from Palayam Anna’s youth, when he sailed the seas to catch Kola fish (flying fish). The narrative is brought to life by Kalaimamani Muthuchandran Rao, a sixth-generation shadow puppeteer from Tamil Nadu, and his team, using puppets specially created for Seaspeaker.
Bundle of joy
Dir: dhivya jothi ravishankar; 3:00 min; Short fiction; India
Asian College of Journalism Student Showcase
Dir: Debodinna Chakravarty, Kritika Tiwari, Jyothsana Mani, Nainu Oomen, Sophiya Menon, Aryan Mahtta, Mohammad Ibrahim Mojid, Zaid Nazir, Malavika Prasad; 18:15 min; Short fiction; India
Poli
Dir: Janvi Madabusi; 4:59 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: "POLI" follows the story of Ajji, a hardworking matriarch who runs a puran poli business from home. She cares for Prapti, who helps with the business, and Shruti, her neighbour’s child. Shruti uses puran poli dough to make dolls, placing them on the "good" or "bad" side based on what she hears from the men in her life.
This film is an exploration of feminism through the eyes of a child, who chooses to see women as strong and capable, regardless of the traditional narratives she hears around her.
The Moon
Dir: Niyantha Shekar; 11:13 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: Under the glow of a full moon, a romantic and a cynic argue about its beauty. But as the banter turns heated, things become personal, deepening the mystery of their connection.
Pink Nights
Dir: Aasa Asok; 13:39 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: A happy couple. One night of freedom. As the wife is out on a girls' night, restraints are broken and the hidden cost of their happiness emerges. Only to vanish into the shadows the next morning.
Shakespeare what's in the name?
Dir: GIRISH NILKANTH RAMTEKE; 19:20 min; Short fiction; India
Synopsis: A mere change in name brings 24 years of happy marriage on the brink of Divorce. Ashok in his efforts to persuade Ashwini to change her mind, leads to unearth the ugly truth of their personal.
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