Entertainment: Indian short film The School Bag wins award in Montreal

Indian short film The School Bag, has won the Best Short Film Award at the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (SAFFM). The Dheeraj Jindal directorial tells a story based in Pakistan.

“While making the film, each member of the team literally put their heart and soul and we didn't know what will happen with the film. For many people, I included, it was the first experience working on a short film. So it's a great feeling when your debut work gets international recognition,” said Jindal.

The movie's plot is based in Peshawar and tells a story about the relationship between a mother and her seven-year-old son who wants a new school bag on his birthday, but fate has something else in store for him.

The film recreates events that happened in Peshawar in December 2014 when terrorists mowed down hundreds of school children.

Actress Rasika Dugal plays the mother in the short film.

Jindal, who is from Delhi, is happy that short films are getting visibility.

“ In India, now there are platforms that are supporting and funding short films and because of that the quality of the films have drastically improved. The acclaimed actors have also started working in them as there are many good stories which don't need to be long but can be as impacting as a feature film.

“Therefore, short films are becoming a serious business, which is going to grow further,” he said.

SAFFM concluded on Sunday.

Independent films need viable business : Konkona

Actor-turned-director Konkona Sensharma said though she feels at home in the space of independent cinema, it is difficult for her style of filmmaking to succeed without alternative marketing strategy.

The 37-year-old filmmaker, who presented her directorial debut A Death in the Gunj at this year's Dharamshala International Film Festival, said small budget independent films need to work out a viable business model so that they continue to be made in future.

“I think I would be comfortable in this zone. I don't see myself making something big in that sense. I'd like it to be small. But I'd like it to be worthwhile for the people who are putting so much effort (giving their time to a film like this) at one time. It is after that when you're going in for distribution and PR that it begins.

“How can you compete with films who have so much budget? And it's done through songs, that's the format. You have to come out with a song to reach out to people. So we have to find other ways to advertise a film without songs,” Sensharma said.

She was speaking at 'The State of Independents' panel discussion at the sixth edition of DIFF yesterday. The director said she did not expect anyone to finance her film.

Sensharma said she visited a lot of studios to tick them off her list. She said they eventually refused to fund the script, despite appreciating it.

“Even while developing the script, I never thought it will get made because I know the world we live in. We know what gets money what doesn't. It's always been like this. I didn't think anyone will give me money. So that kind of freed me to do whatever I wanted to do.

“Independent is, I guess, alternative kind of content. Filmmking is a particular space with certain conventions. If you don't follow that, you don't get any funding. That it got funds, I guess I got fortunate as it was easy for me to put foot in the doors and get a meeting with producers as I was a well-known actor. So I was privileged to get my film made. I was lucky to come across some people who agreed to give me some money,” she said.

'I'm excited for Game of Thrones to finish : Maisie Williams

Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams says she is excited that the fantasy drama is coming to end and she can now focus on other projects.

Williams, who plays the role of Arya Stark in the HBO series, says she now has the time to show the world what more she has to offer as a performer, reported Contactmusic.

"I'm really excited for Game of Thrones to finish, and there's going to be time for me to do whatever I want. That's just incredibly exciting, and it will be nice to pick roles that I want to do. I can show the world what sort of actress I want to be and shape my career a little bit.

"I've just started a production company, so I'm now realising how hard the industry can be. Coming back here and listening to all the films nominated and getting back into watching independent films just makes me realise how much I miss it. It's the only place I've ever really wanted to be, to be honest," Williams says.

With inputs from agencies