Creating short movies demands a highly creative mind, as it involves condensing complex narratives or emotions into a concise format. Unlike feature-length films, short movies require filmmakers to deliver impactful stories within limited time frames, often ranging from a few minutes to half an hour. It involves inventive storytelling techniques, compelling visuals and efficient character development to engage viewers and convey the intended message effectively. The Film Division, an emerging segment of Parvaz, the theater club, has recently showcased its remarkable creativity and embarked on a streak of award-winning successes. In an exclusive conversation with Naviiina, iMTech student, Varshith Vattikuti, a key member of the team, delves into the intricate details of short film production…
Can you provide insights into the inception and growth of the movie club at IIIT-Bangalore, and how it has evolved over the years?
My passion for cinema traces back to my childhood days, fueling my determination to transition from a mere film enthusiast to a filmmaker. In the summer of 2022, alongside Ayush Tiwari (iMTech), I embarked on my filmmaking journey by creating our debut film, “The Mirror’s Image,” during our summer break. This pivotal moment marked the inception of The Film Division at IIIT-Bangalore. Since then, our team has produced over 30 short films, including two after-movies for college fests and numerous edits for cultural clubs. To further enhance our skills, we regularly organize knowledge-sharing sessions, where we assign specific filmmaking tasks to each other. Additionally, we host two short film competitions annually, featuring themes and varying time constraints, during our Infin8 and Synergy events.
What inspired the creation of the short film “A Distant Memory,” and how did the students collaborate to bring it to life?
“A Distant Memory” is a film about regrets, guilt and wanting to change the past, but with a twist. If all the surrealism and elevated fiction of the film is stripped down, it’s about losing someone and staying stuck up without moving on. We’d written it in 2022 itself but it took months for us to put a team together and cast all the characters. Materialising the project was a therapeutic process for the entire team.
Could you elaborate on the significance of “A Distant Memory” being selected and winning 1st place in the student category at the JUSFF ’24?
We are glad that we are getting recognised and appreciated but we are very aware that we have a long way to go. A few of us went to the festival to just watch good films so the win was very unexpected and pleasantly surprising.
Apart from the success at JUSFF ’24, the Film Division’s short films have achieved recognition at various other competitions. What do these accolades signify for the students and the movie club?
Our films have won at BITS Goa and IIT Hyderabad among other college competitions and open festivals. Again, we’re overwhelmed with the accolades but are conscious about the fact that there’s still a mountain to climb before we’re worthy of anything that truly matters. The endeavour is to create good cinema and that’s what we’re striving for. Nevertheless, these awards have given our films and club a bigger platform that will hopefully help us grow the film community in our college.
How does the movie club at IIIT-Bangalore contribute to the overall creative and extracurricular landscape of the institute, and what opportunities does it provide for student filmmakers?
Our goal as members of The Film Division is to create a common platform for film enthusiast to come together for film discussions, knowledge-sharing sessions and to find fellow filmmakers to help out with each other’s projects. To accomplish this, we try conducting fortnightly/monthly meets, weekly themed screenings, etc. For student filmmakers, it offers chances to showcase their work, participate in collaborative projects, receive mentorship, and network with industry professionals, enhancing their experience and potential career opportunities in the film industry.
What are the future aspirations and plans of the Film Division at IIIT-Bangalore following the success of “A Distant Memory” and other short films?
We have had some great films made by students of IIIT-Bangalore like Sinister Tick, Thread of Life, Wicksper, Paradise Society, Incepted Epilogue and A Distant Memory among others. We hope to make at least 9-10 shorts every year and facilitate the making of at least 30-40 more films as a part of competitions and festivals that we organize. We also have plans of creating a writers’ room that would help budding writers and aspiring filmmakers. As previously stated, our paramount objective remains the creation of good cinema, and we are wholly committed to the diligent pursuit of this endeavor. Rest assured, every effort will be exerted to ensure the realization of this vision.
