From Frame to Frame with Keyframed
“I’m still not over the fact that we are 6 animators who met for the first time at Chitkara International Animated Film Festival (CHIAFF) and just did three independent film screenings in Mumbai this May!” says the team Keyframed.
‘Keyframed’ is a collection of 5 animated short films made by young and upcoming directors, Toash Bhat, Mazhar Kothari, Kartik Mahajan, Debopom Chakraborty, Tejaswat Kadam, and Rahul Dileep. Screened at various locations throughout Mumbai like Harkat Studio and Veda Kunba Theatre, the team have managed to not just showcase their work but also create a space for animators and directors across the country to be part of its growing animation scene.
When all of us met at CHIAFF, we decided to screen our own movies at our hotel room after the festival. The connection we felt from these 5 very different films was truly something out of this world.
It was at that moment that they decided to screen the collection in Mumbai. They dreamed for a space that buzzed with conversations about animation and films; a middle ground between a big film festival and a small room of people.
After shortlisting more than 30 venues, they landed on two spots to screen their set- Harkat Studios and Veda Kunba Theatre. Just two weeks before the screening they announced it on social media and it was just a matter of time.
It was a big leap of faith. Will we be able to sell tickets? Will people show up on a weekend? I think we should’ve booked a smaller space…. But it all worked out!
In the packed theatres, Keyframed celebrated this big win! They say, “We were house full on the first day- selling 50 tickets and almost 100 for the second day!”
Screening their films for Nazaria Arts Collective – an NGO based in Mumbai that equips marginalized youth and women to speak their truth through storytelling- invited curious teenagers intrigued by animation.
Keyframed’s next screening was at the cozy theatre in Harkat Studios. This was their official first screening that invited people from far and wide to talk about animation. They say,” People travelled from far and stuck around for so long; even after Harkat shut down and we just talked animation. How such an isolating career desperately craves for meetings like these and leaves everyone inspired!”
This gave the team confidence to screen their films in a bigger venue. Friends, colleagues, familiar faces and even some new names found their way to the halls of Veda Kunba Theatre on a bright Sunday morning.
They say,” This one- being completely self-organised- came with its fair share of challenges, and fun too! The awkwardness on stage, the intimacy, the familiarity, the jokes, and the conversations... all of these things made up for the major technical difficulties we faced before the screening”
With much love and inspiration from Debjyoti Saha to take Indian Animation forward with their work, they plan to screen in newer venues and meet more talent.
They say,” We plan on touring a few more cities in the country this year with Keyframed, and are looking for sponsors for the same! We are also open to visiting colleges and doing other private screenings, so feel free to message any one of us!”
Hundreds of animated short films are produced every year by graduating students from all over India. For the future, I think of Keyframed being a space for young animators to showcase their film to the world.
From a chance meeting at CHIAFF to successful screenings in Mumbai, Keyframed has come a long way. We wish the team all the best for the future and hope to catch them at their next screening.
You can connect with the team behind this year’s Keyframed on the channels below.
This year’s lineup includes:
