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| Sasha (Jessica Pare) in Beholder. |
By Don Simpson
Idol -- A young boy (Madan Deodhar) idolizes Argentinean soccer star Diego Maradona rather than Krishna, and he really wants to watch the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-final match, Argentina vs. England (a fantastic match for fans of Maradona, who scored both goals in Argentina’s 2-1 victory over England -- the first goal was via an unpenalized handball, while the second goal was a 66-yard goal through six England players, deemed "The Goal of the Century"). The boy sneaks out of his bedroom to watch the television from under a sheet. After Maradona scores the game-winning goal, the boy turns up the volume on the television for the replay. The boy’s father (Madhav Abhyankar) is none too pleased when he catches the boy watching soccer. I would not be surprised if Idol is derived from a real-life experience of writer-director Kranti Kanade.
Beholder -- Director Nisha Ganatra’s America exists within “safe” and “perfect” bubble of the socially conservative gated community Red Estates. Sasha (Jessica Pare) and her husband, Bobby (Rupak Ginn), are in the middle of a genetically engineered pregnancy. Unfortunately, the fetus is diagnosed with the homosexual gene and must be inoculated. Sasha is hesitant to have the inoculation, but Bobby is running for political office and will not make any compromises. What is outside the pearly gates of — to quote Bobby — “the real America”? Where are all of the non-conservative Americans? Are they really living in “slums”?
Tubelight’s Moon -- On one magical night, seven year-old Tubelight (Mohammad Shariq) falls in love with the moon. Tubelight decides to make his very own moon with a bunch of light bulbs that he steals from the townspeople, thus becoming the mysterious light bulb thief. Writer-director Shlok Sharma’s Tubelight’s Moon is about fulfilling your personal fantasies no matter the risk.
In That Moment -- Written and directed by Shripriya Mahesh, In That Moment features a man (David Engel) who poses in Central Park as a statue of a nameless baseball player. On this particular day, a beautiful blonde woman (Jennifer Laine Williams) sits across from him. Their eyes meet, then she approaches him. Does he maintain his role as a stoic statue or does he slip from character and act receptively to her advances?
The Stitches Speak -- India fights Pakistan and wins. A group of Kutchi artisans leave Pakistan for India where they are placed in the Jurra Camp. In 1980, thanks to political upheaval, the Kutchi people gain citizenship. Then, in 2001, there is a devastating earthquake which for some reason generates a lot of interest in the Kutchi artistry. Writer-director Nina Sabnani’s documentary mashes audio from interviews with several of the Kutchi artists with a colorfully animated tapestry of images.
Wheeling Dreams -- Writer-director Hardik Mehta’s Wheeling Dreams is a cyclical take on the grass is always greener on the other side tale. A little moped that is not even powerful enough to carry a hitchhiker becomes a heavenly improvement for someone who is used to pedaling a bicycle all day. How long will it be before the moped’s new owner dreams of something bigger, faster and more powerful?
The Return Address -- Before there was Match.com, there was Aaron (David Thompson), a photography assistant at Robin’s Photography who moonlights as a clandestine cupid. Aaron has an eye for romance which lends him the uncanny ability to match people with a suitable mate merely by looking at their glossy black and whites. Unfortunately, Aaron’s special talents do not matter to his boss (Jim Donovan) and it is not long before Aaron is fired; luckily, Aaron has already discovered a photo of his very own mate, Jenny (Elizabeth Schweitzer). Director Abi Varghese’s The Return Address toys with fate as well as the power of the kino eye to see true love.
