NYIFF 2025-Short C

Babli By Night
Director: Neel Soni
Run time: 24 minutes 23 seconds
Language: Hindi
Year Made: 2024
Country: India

Synopsis:
Babban, a Muslim, transgender forest guard navigates life in a rural Indian forest with a family that doesn't understand them, with animals that may be the only hope and an unexpected HIV diagnosis

Director: Neel Soni
Neel Soni is a passionate filmmaker, conservationist, and wildlife photographer based in New Delhi, India. He graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, and has been actively involved in wildlife conservation efforts. His debut documentary, "Babli by Night," showcases his dedication to storytelling and advocacy through cinema

P for Paparazzi
Director: Divya Hemant Kharnare
Starring: Manoj Mahara
Run time:26 minutes 40 seconds
Language: Hindi
Year Made: 2024
Country: India

Synopsis:
Amidst the chaos of flashing lights and crazy crowds, Manoj, an established Paparazzi from Nepal, faces off against fellow photographers in a high-stakes race to capture the most sensational photos. Despite his years of experience and connections with celebrities, Manoj confronts the harsh reality of his brother's deteriorating health.

Will the connections be enough to secure the funds needed for his brother's treatment, or will he find himself facing a solitary battle for survival?

Director: Divya Hemant Kharnare
Divya Kharnare is a graduate in mass communication who has been working on feature-length documentaries and fiction films for the past 6 years. He was one of the winners of '75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow' award at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2021 which eventually led to directing a feature-length documentary, ‘15 Seconds A Lifetime’, premiering at the New York Indian Film Festival 2022 and has been to 10 other festivals around the world.

He was also a part of the Kyoto Filmmakers Lab 2022 and was involved in the Hands-On Jidaigeki project as an Assistant Director. Currently, he's a student of Direction at the Film & Television Institute of India, Pune

Mic Drop
Director: Kallol Mukherjee
Starring: FPC ANK
Run time: 27 minutes
Language: Hindi
Year Made: 2024
Country: India

Synopsis:
In a region where the native language is often overlooked, a young Bundelkhandi (a tribal dialect) rapper from Madhya Pradesh, India works tirelessly on his first album. As he faces financial struggles and a lack of resources, the question remains: will he be able to make it and at what cost?

An electrifying performance by Ankit ignites the stage, leaving the audience in awe. But when the organizer refuses to pay them the next day, Ankit's disappointment turns into determination. Without hesitation, he revs up his bike and races towards the city. Arriving at a friend's house, they transform the bedroom into a makeshift recording studio. Ankit changes his clothes and with each layer of clothing replaced, a common guy sheds his former self and wears his new identity: FPC ANK, The Bundelkhandi Rapper. The documentary delves deep into FPC ANK's world, exposing his tenacity and unwavering passion as he tirelessly works on his debut album to tell the stories of his people. The film takes a behind-the-scenes approach, capturing his artistic process from the initial stage of inspiration to producing a music video from his debut album through all the frugal ways! With every moment, the audience is left on the edge of their seats, eagerly wondering: Will FPC ANK make it after all?

Director: Kallol Mukherjee
Kallol Mukherjee is a Mumbai-based filmmaker from Jabalpur, who recently served as an Associate Director on an OTT documentary series co-produced by Juggernaut and Applause Entertainment. His student short documentary "Khori" received accolades at IDSFFK 2022 and “Badariya” at IDSFFK 2023. His feature film "Who am I?"—for which he also penned the screenplay and dialogues—was released in theatres and streamed on JioCinema. Currently, he works as an Associate Creative Director for a feature documentary film for DocuBay OTT. "Mic Drop" is his debut short documentary by PSBT, India

Where the Light Enters You
Director: Hemal Trivedi , Matt Alesevich
Run time: 36 minutes
Language: English, Gujarati, Hindi
Year Made: 2024
Country: India

Synopsis:
In the wake of personal loss, an unexpected sisterhood unites an ambitious New York med student with a spirited girl from a nomadic tribe in India.

Director: Hemal Trivedi, Matt Alesevich
Hemal Trivedi
Hemal has been producing and directing documentaries for 18 years. Her body of work has won one Oscar, three Emmys, one Peabody and seven Emmy nominations, a nomination for MTV Movie Awards, nominations for Independent Spirits Awards and Cinema Eye Award. Her work has been showcased in film festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, IDFA, Full Frame, Berlin Film Festival and AFI and venues including the United Nations and the US Department of State. Her work has been broadcast on Netflix, HBO, PBS (Frontline and Independent Lens), YouTube Red, Topic, Channel 4 and several other broadcast venues. She has served as a speaker, panelist and judge for TEDx, Independent Film Week, the Emmys and other prestigious awarding bodies.

Matt Alesevich
Matt is a writer and journalist who has covered international human interest stories from North Korea to Iraq for publications including VICE, Al Jazeera, The Daily Beast, Public Radio Int'l, Global Post, and more. As a brand storyteller, he's written for the world's most well-known brands including Google, Uber, Amex, Mastercard, and Samsung.

Also check out other Entertainment events in New York, Festivals in New York, Arts events in New York.