Student Shorts IN COMPETITION

Six student short films from media schools across the world – China, Germany, India, Slovakia, Sweden and USA – are nominated for the Best Student Short Award worth Rs.25,000 supported by Whistling Woods International.

GIVE Director: Kenya Gillespie 16 min | 2023 | USA | English Media School: University of Texas, Austin, USA A composer attempts to unravel the memories of his relationship with his classical singer ex-boyfriend. Blending lyrical visuals and poetry by Carol Ann Duffy with a lush orchestral score, Give takes the viewer on a journey through the mind of the composer.

LIKE WAVE LIKE CLOUD (Original Title:浪花像是一朵云) Director: Yulin Yang 16 min | 2023 | China | Chinese Media School: NYU Tisch School of the Arts, NY, USA On a surfing trip, a female couple with an age difference attempts to navigate their uncertain relationship. Yet after an unexpected change in circumstance, they each begin to see themselves and their relationship in a new light.

MASC4MASC Director: Felix Augustin Greisinger 8 min | 2024 | Sweden | Swedish Media School: Stockholm University of the Arts, Sweden Rafael and his friends reign supreme in a world dominated by masculinity and casual sex. One of these hookups leads to a passionate but brief encounter with Alex and a moment of intimacy arises between them. However, when Alex shares an intimate moment with another man, Rafael grapples with his own desires and fears, torn between two worlds.

PIECHT Director: Luka Lara Steffen 30 min | 2023 | Germany | German Media School: Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM), Germany For 17-year-old Johanna, a vacation in idyllic Piecht is anything but relaxing. While her mother dreams of an ecological alternative life, a real nightmare unfolds for Johanna as she is confronted with a far-right community and their backwards ideas. She bravely tries to get to the bottom of what is happening, but encounters brutal resistance.

POISONED WELL (Original Title: Otrávená studňa ) Director: Radek Ševčík 14 min | 2023 | Slovakia | Slovak, Czech Media School: Ateliér réžie dokumentárneho filmu (ARDF FTF VŠMU) Bratislava, Slovakia October 12, 2022 – a terrorist attack in Bratislava – the death of innocent LGBTI+ people – no political response. Film-requiem discusses the deteriorating state of society after the attack, as well as the intimate feelings of LGBTI+ people, including the author himself. A rotten well poisons society’s opinions, which do not improve even after the attack. Do people really need to live in fear?

SIFAR Director: Eishita 21 min | 2024| India | English, Hindi Media School: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Delhi, India The film explores the themes of love, grief, acceptance, and resilience within queer identities. Through Inaaya, the narrative unravels emotions in the face of life-altering loss. She wakes up every day, grieving the suicide of her partner, Shaayra, and the life she thought she once had.