Tamil short film B Selvi & Daughters, written and directed by Drishya, has been selected to premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) this year. The film stars Gayathrie Shankar of Super Deluxe fame in the lead role along with veteran actor Kalairaani. The trailer of the film was released on YouTube in August.
Notably, the film was made with a crew of over 90% women, with women heading all department roles such as writing, directing, producing, sound recording and so on. It also features a track by Sri Lankan Canadian rapper Navz47.
The 25-minute film is a heartwarming take on an elderly woman setting up her own saree business with the help of her daughter. The first few minutes of the film show a nervous Selvi (Kalairaani), her lack of confidence apparent as she applies for a business loan in a bank. Her daughter (Gayathrie), on the other hand, is an assertive young woman working in Bengaluru in digital marketing.
From the mansplaining uncle to the honest conversations between mother and daughter, the writing and performances sparkle. The rap tracks in the narrative are also an effective way of communicating Selvi's changing levels of confidence. The story doesn't make the journey easy for the characters, keeping things realistic all through.
Produced by Tarana Reddy of Chennai-based Indie production house Stray Factory, B Selvi & Daughters won the German Her&Now grant offered by GIZ GmBH for films that promote women's empowerment. Without overt messaging, the film subtly yet effectively shows a woman's journey into entrepreneurship by giving us two believable women characters.
The film will be screened till October 30 at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.
Watch the trailer of B Selvi & Daughters here: