Greetings again from the darkness. We are very thankful for teachers, yet we don't envy them at all. A classroom full of energetic youngsters is a challenge most of us aren't up to. Bittu is a young girl who may have a rebellious streak, or she may just be frustrated with the structure required by school. Her friend Chand likes to have fun with Bittu, but takes her schoolwork much more seriously.
This is writer-director Karishma Dev Dube's thesis film for NYU Film School, and it's been nominated for a Student Academy Award. Her sister Shreya Dev Dube gives the film a boost with her cinematography, and the film is based on a real life event that occurred in 2013 at a primary school in India. An honest mistake by the school's cook led to an unimaginable tragedy.
Real life sisters Rani Kumari and Renu Kumari play best friends Bittu and Chand. As with all kids, having a best friend is the most important thing at any given moment - although in the blink of an eye, friends aren't speaking to each other. This dynamic and the relationship with the teacher (Saurabh Saraswat), the school principal, and the other students is expertly captured. Filmed in India with Hindi dialogue, it's a terrific 16 minute short film.
