02 October,2014 06:38 AM IST | | Kanika Sharma
The fifth edition of Manhattan Short 2014 in India on this October 3 with a sharp focus on India
Manhattan Short 2014, fifth edition, Rhino Full Throttle, Animation, Sam Chou, Mumbai Guide
From Martin Scorsese's The Big Shave to Tim Burton's Vincent or the lesser-known short called Bottle Rocket by Wes Anderson who later eked it out into a full-length feature, short films are a malleable format that offer experimentation to directors. Come Friday, the fifth edition of Manhattan Short will commence in the city. Anil Sadarangani, director, is excited about the festival's latest feature that makes it a democratic set-up.
Animation by Sam Chou will also be screened at the festival
"The new highlight this year is the Vote For India competition that had filmmakers from across India competing for a spot in the global final list."
A still from Rhino Full Throttle. Pic courtesy/Folke Renken
Prompted by the fact that Indian shorts haven't been featured emphatically in the festival's programme, the Vote for India feature took shape. Three winners with the highest number of votes will be showcasing their works along with four more entries that will have a special mention at the festival.
"Manhattan Short's USP is being a people-driven film festival. We do not have a jury. The audience is the judge. When the audience enters a screening, we give them a voting card. At the end of the screening, they vote online for the one film they believe is the winner," reveals Sadarangani who firmly champions the unique format of the festival.
Sadarangani admits, "In India, with the advent of technology and an increase in the accessibility and popularity of the Internet, people are becoming aware of what a short film is. Yet, it is still new for India's audiences." Thus, these films are slowly becoming financially viable and are considered as promising ventures, as espoused by filmmakers like Anurag Kashyap.
The festival will host activities like panel discussions featuring Paromita Vohra (Devi Pictures), Avijit Mukul Kishore (FD Zone) and Cyrus Dastur (known for Shamiana Shorts); workshops by journalists Bhawana Somaaya, Priya Paitandy and Oscar-nominated director Ashvin Kumar.
