MIFF 2022 Shorts Awards

Featuring 78 titles, the 2022 MIFF Shorts program was spread across 11 packages and included animation, documentary, experimental, and Australian and international fiction shorts, as well as a special suite of short films from and about Africa.

Pritish Bagdi

City of Melbourne Grand Prix for Best Short Film

Murmurs of the Jungle

Director & Producer: Sohil Vaidya

Jury Statement: Murmurs of the Jungle is a masterfully crafted and captivating piece of cinema, which gently invites the viewer to be part of a story that reaches back to the beginning of all things. Even in its comparatively short 20 minutes, the film gifts us with two of the most precious commodities: space and time. Amid stories that speak to the roots of our relationship with place, nature and the Country beneath our feet, we are taken on a journey, guided by place itself. Beautifully shot, the landscape becomes the most important character in this film. Gorgeous visuals compel us to look, and the stories, coming from place itself, hold us in rapt attention throughout.

VicScreen Erwin Rado Award for Best Australian Short Film

An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It

Director & Producer: Lachlan Pendragon

Jury Statement: With its playfully long title and vintage stop-motion animation, An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It is a subtle delight. In a cinematic landscape full of increasingly generic computer animation, it’s refreshing to see the care put into this little film. Dryly funny with a meta twist, director Lachlan Pendragon’s debut short shows so much promise.

Award for Emerging Australian Filmmaker

Tremor

Director: Rudolf Fitzgerald-Leonard Producer: Annika Birgel

Jury Statement: Tremor is a powerfully taut and understated examination of frustration, desire and humiliation that, in its deft ellipses, stirs the emotional waters in which these sensations are mingled. Led by a brilliant performance from Luis Brandt, the film modulates our distance from the protagonist’s inner experience; we both intimately feel and distantly observe Leon’s pain, sitting with him during wordless close-ups, and reflecting on his world more coolly during the film’s beautifully contemplative interstices and carefully spaced flashbacks. Expertly paced and wonderfully composed, Tremor is an exciting film that explores the silences and in-between moments in which painful events are often most intensely felt.

Award for Best Fiction Short Film

Moshari

Director: Nuhash Humayun Producers: Bushra Afreen, Nuhash Humayun

Jury Statement: Moshari is an intense, inspiring, thrilling, engaging and ultimately heartwarming take on a story we thought we knew. While the majority of the narrative may take place in one room, it is the relationships contained therein that endear the protagonists to us and leave us wanting more. Moshari manages to make an old story fresh and, through its genuine performances and beautiful cinematography, does that most elusive of things: it tells a good story and does it well.

Award for Best Documentary Short Film

Will You Look at Me

Director & Producer: Shuli Huang

Jury Statement: An audacious reflection on the intersection between personal identity, familial bonds and intolerance, Will You Look at Me poignantly weaves together super-8 archive, autobiographical voiceover and an audio recording of a heartbreaking conversation the filmmaker had with his mother, where she is in the process of confronting him over the despair she feels about his homosexuality. Courageously loving in response to his mother’s misdirected anger and sense of victimhood, the film explores the trauma caused by relationships built on rigid expectations, and how inflexible social mores can have devastating consequences for individuals. While these themes are not new, it is Shuli Huang’s artistic candour, sense of aesthetic space and feel for poetic juxtaposition that make this an especially moving experience.

Award for Best Animation Short Film

Ice Merchants

Director: João Gonzalez Producers: Bruno Caetano, Michaël Proença

Jury Statement: With gorgeous hand-drawn animation and a quiet, heartfelt story, Ice Merchants is a film that stays with you, both visually and emotionally. Even without using dialogue, director João Gonzalez manages to convey a wealth of emotion from his main character: a silent, determined man who lives an isolated life with his young son. Like a storybook come to life, Ice Merchants transports us to a serene, beautiful place where small victories are more than enough.

Award for Best Experimental Short Film

Nazarbazi

Director & Producer: Maryam Tafakory

Jury Statement: Jacques Rivette once asked, “What is cinema but the play of the actor and the actress, of the hero and the décor, of the word and the face, of the hand and the object?” If this rhetorical question points to a deep truth about the nature of the medium, then Maryam Tafakory’s poetic and quietly forceful found-footage collage is pure cinema. Taking the symbolically loaded exchanges between men and women in post-Revolutionary film as its starting point (physical contact onscreen is strictly forbidden by Iranian censors), Nazarbazi is a stirring reflection on desire, sensation, absence, control, freedom and love.

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MIFF should be made an annual Film Festival: Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari

Nehru Centre, Mumbai (India): This edition had many firsts including being the first edition to be on hybrid mode. The festival witnessed an overall footfall of 9000 till date with approximately 5000 film lovers registered as delegates, including 1400 students. Bangladesh was the ‘Country of Focus’ this year in commemoration of its 50 years of Independence and 11 films from the country were presented during MIFF 2022.

Swati Bhat

“Many films are quite inspirational; we should try to express what is inside of us and inside the society,” Chief Guest and Governor of Maharashtra, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, said in his address. “Whichever festival it may – be it Cannes or MIFF, the idea behind such festivals is to recognize the talented ones – Directors, Producers, Artistes,” he noted. He also suggested that this festival should be made an annual celebration instead of keeping it biennial, as it is now.

Eminent Filmmaker and Guest of Honour, Shyam Benegal appreciated the non-feature filmmakers saying that they are self-motivated to make films that usually don’t have audience unlike main stream films. “When you make a documentary or a short film you don’t have an ensured audience unlike a feature film; you make a short film because you are totally self-motivated; the inspiration to make the film has to come from within,” he cited this as the reason for MIFF being a unique festival. “This is the most wonderful part of this evening because these film makers are clearly motivated to make their films. That is something pristine about it, which I think is what film is all about,” he added.

Benegal also mentioned that making short-films or non-feature films are not only challenging but also the most creative form of film making. He said that like an artist or a painter – whom no one had ordered to create a piece of art but he still creates. “This is the most admirable part of short films,” he added.

“It is wonderful we have this festival, and we are recognizing wonderful filmmakers giving them a forum to show their films,” he remarked.

MIFF 2022 Jury Chairperson for Internal Competition, Mina Rad shared her experience as a representative of the International Jury. she said “The Films Division has become a strong platform and market for films. During these seven days, the enthusiasm and determination of the cinema lovers to watch the movies, discuss them, discuss with the experienced filmmakers, was admirable. The quality of all the movies was very good,” she said. “Entire team of MIFF organized it well. Congratulations to those who got the award, good luck to those who didn't, your work was great too,” she said. She further hoped that this festival would be held every year.

Jury chairperson for National competition of MIFF 2022, Sanjit Narvekar, expressed his views on this occasion. He said, “As a Jury, we had the opportunity to see some of the best documentaries, short films, documentaries in the country. We saw a total of 67 movies. We observed a radical change in the way short films are made.” He lamented that the number of documentaries was low. He also said that the number of films made by the students was only five, which was disappointing. He suggested that it should be increased. There was a separate section for student films in the past, He suggested to re-open it.

Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting - Dr. L. Murugan congratulated the award winners of MIFF 2022 and said, “These short films don’t need 18 reels and 180 minutes to communicate with the viewers, but they encapsulate a very big message in them. They do not rely on the superstars and box office gimmicks either. Every person who works in a documentary film is a superstar.”

He also informed that the M/o I&B is leaving no stone unturned to support the Indian cinema to grow bigger and travel from local to global. “We are walking on the path shown by our visionary leader Narendra Modiji , who has given us the mantra of ‘ Reform, Perform and Transform,” he said.

He also appreciated the efforts of the staff and officials in making the festival a success.

Secretary, Ministry of I&B, Mr Apurva Chandra, said ​ ''The 17th edition of MIFF was a week-long fiesta for documentary, short-fiction and animation films and got an overwhelming response from the audience and cinephiles in its post pandemic edition.”. He went on to say that the Ministry of I&B will strive to keep grooming the budding filmmakers from across India and give them the best facilities and platform for them to excel."

Additional Secretary, M/o I&B, Ms. Neeraja Sekhar, expressed her happiness upon the success of the 17th edition of MIFF. “India is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and alongside conducting various activities. I am glad that is a grand success.” She also congratulated the winners and applauded the diverse content of the edition. “We have thoroughly enjoyed the diverse content from each filmmaker,” she said. She also noted that, “MIFF will come back in a bigger way. I hope the audiences will keep supporting all the films and filmmakers.”

“I am glad that MIFF 2022 was loved and appreciated by all, especially it was heartening to see young audiences come & enjoy the documentaries and short fiction content, it’s a pleasure to know that over 12000 people attended the festival,” informed Mr. Ravinder Bhakar, Managing Director, NFDC India & Director, MIFF while presenting the highlights of the Festival Report. He also assured, “We will try to make this festival even bigger and support filmmakers in the best possible manner,” he added. “This year our aim at MIFF 2022 was to create an eco-sphere for the documentary market which is predominantly being ruled by the feature films and web series and we took a giant leap. Another effort was to connect the Industry and the Market and we ensured this by conducting Masterclasses by eminent personalities including Resul Pookuty, Prasoon Joshi, Regina Pessoa.

The Director also mentioned about the houseful screening of Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama which was screened during the festival. “The kind of enthusiasm the film lovers showed was amazing,” he remarked.

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MIFF 2022 Technical Award Winners in Cinematography, Sound Designing and Editing

MIFF Campus: June, 04 2022: The 17th Mumbai International Film festival (#MIFF2022) has also announced the technical awards in three categories; i.e. Cinematography, Sound Designing and Editing. Each awardee will receive a cash amount of Rs 1,50,000/- along with trophy and certificate.

Pritish Bagdi

Best Cinematography(award shared by Bernarda Corenjo Pinto & Rafeeq Ellias)

• Bernarda Corenjo Pinto (Germany) for ‘Among Us Women’

“Cinematographer plays an important role in the story telling in "Among Us Women". The candid style of shooting and captivating imagery with available natural light is the pulse of the film”, observes the jury.

• Rafeeq Ellias (India) for ‘If Memory Serves Me Right’

“The Award for the Best Cinematographer is given to Rafeeq Ellias for ‘If Memory Serves Me Right’ for his use of strong visuals made possible by his extensive use of an informal handheld camera which creates an instant empathy for the main character”, cites the jury.

Best Sound Design(award shared by Jose Rommer and Pritam Das)

• Jose Rommer (Panama) for ‘For Your Peace of Mind, Make Your Own Museum’

“The sensitive characteristics use of sound in "Make Your Own Museum" makes it a masterly creation. It is through the sound track that film maker captured the intimacy of the protagonist and her world”, the jury comments

• Pritam Das (India) for ‘Kicking Balls’

“The outstanding work done by Pritam Das in the film ‘Kicking Balls’ has presented the story as an amazing experience to the audience.”, observes jury.

Best Editing(award shared by S. Shanmuganathan & Sajed P C)

• S. Shanmuganathan (India) for ‘Dhobi Ghat’

“Through the creative and lively editing, the editor structures the rhythm of life in Dhobi Ghat. He captures the life and also the uncertainty looming large on the inhabitants,” cites the jury.

• Sajed P C (India) for ‘Bamboo Ballads’

“The Award for the Best Editor is given to Sajed P C for ‘Bamboo Ballads’ for his crisp and seamless editing which helps to evenly pace out the film thus adding to its overall finesse”, observes jury.

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