“I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go” – Yann Martel, Life of Pi
Sometimes a movie doesn’t need to do something extraordinary or completely new to touch the emotions of its viewers. It doesn’t need the support of awe-inspiring visuals or high-tech to achieve the magic. A simple house, a simple concept and a great amount of heart can do the trick just as well.
The greatest characters remind us of people we already know. It acquaints us with feelings we all go through no matter where we’re from or who we are. That’s the magic of the slice-of-life genre of filmmaking. You can inject so much emotion into the seemingly mundane lives of regular people and make them realise that some things are just universally true. And love is just one of those things.
Losing a loved one is something which all of us have to go through unfortunately. But the process of grief is individualised to us all. Some of us like to hold on and keep their memories alive in any shape or form. And some of us set them and their memories free. At the end of the day, what is grief if not love persevering.
It is with this sentiment in mind, that we present to you—Afterglow.
From the very onset, you’ll feel as if you’re in for a special treat. It opens with this thought-provoking quote by Tagore
“Let my thoughts come to you after I am gone,
Like the afterglow of sunsets at the margins of starry silence”
Directed and written by Kaushal Oza, this short film opened to raving reviews and accolades in the short film circuit. It stars Sohrab Ardeshir, Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal, Anahita Oberoi and many more. It starts at the tenth day of Minochar Mirza’s death as if wife Meher is coming to terms with it amidst the influx of many consoling people. A great subtle touch in this 19-minute film is the use of classical music to portray different moods and themes. It opens with Pechelbel’s Canon in D which is a global favourite to play at weddings, then it slowly transitions into Schubert’s Schwanengesang- which Franz Schubert famously wrote on his deathbed. They represent the loss of a loved one in a marriage with the language of instruments and it is so intelligently placed.
The flashbacks showing the nature of love between Meher and Minochar makes you feel like you’re a fly on their wall, just watching them be themselves. Another thing this film manages to do very well is to show mortality in a positive light, which admittedly sounds like a morbid thing to say. But it is very refreshing, peaceful even.
At the 60th National Film Awards in 2012, it won the category of ‘Best short film on family values’. It also won many more awards as the best film in film festivals in Sri Lanka, the USA, the UK, Mumbai and Kolkata. Talk about a glittering shelf of awards!
The last few years have seen many people struggle with bereavement and grief, we hope you receive all the help, love and support in the world. Maybe this film can become a source of comfort for you too! May you enjoy watching and healing with this poignant short film!
Happy Watching!
