I knew about Shamiana Shorts for a while, but something or the other prevented me from making it for one of their screenings in Pune. So when I heard of the Shamiana Shorts screening at AFB, I was absolutely delighted!
The evening started with a near accident and quite a bit of unnecessary stress as a biker who skid and fell because he was speeding decided to attack us merely because we panicked at the sight of him falling in front of us. We got out of that sticky situation, shaken and annoyed and started heading towards AFB and it started raining. Correction, it started pouring. What would have normally taken merely 15 minutes, took us nearly 30 minutes and then we got stuck in a nasty jam just outside the venue! Nervous, anxious not to miss the first film, we edged our way into the aggressive traffic from the other side and somehow got inside barely 2 minutes before 7 pm, the scheduled time for the screening, only to discover they had decided to start a little late so that more people could make it for the event. We got ourselves a coffee from the cafe and settled down in our seats for the show.
I was not disappointed. The films, barring one film made by an amateur who knew nothing about cinematography and had an extremely juvenile story, were brilliant. Two of the films left an impression. The first, a B/W thriller about a photographer who receives camera after he wins an award. Delighted with the gift from an anonymous person, he sets off to experiment with his new tool, only to discover that this is a rather dangerous camera that takes lives. Unsettling and sinister, the short film of barely 15 minutes gave me goose bumps!
The second film that I really liked was Butterfly Circus. Directed by Joshua Weigel, the film is about a circus group that recruits only those who are rejected by society and marginalized because of a social stigma or handicap.
Beautifully narrated, the film shows how there is a hidden talent within each one of us. All it takes is one person to push until the talent surfaces. 20 minutes and I was in tears. It is a beautiful film, not to be missed. The film is set to be released as a full-length feature film and I must admit I can’t wait to see it.
The evening ended with a visit to Windsor Pub, not far from AFB. I had heard so much about this place, I was really excited to go there, so it seemed fitting that we end a beautiful evening with a wonderful dinner. The restaurant is situated in an extremely nondescript building with Canara Bank and is quite easy to miss. The only thing announcing it is the crowd of people at the entry, lighting up their cigarettes. We had to wait a few minutes before we got a table but we were lucky for some people were just finishing. Once inside I was instantly charmed. Surprisingly well lit for a “pub” the interiors had a warm, comfortable feel and the music was excellent. Mostly retro pop and rock, it was ideal.
Every table was adorned with a pitcher (or two) and it seemed almost a sacrilege to be thinking of ordering a pint, so a pitcher was ordered immediately as we studied the menu with hungry eyes. Windsor Pub is known for its Malwani food (primarily sea-food) and beer, so I was wondering what I would eat, since I am not the greatest fan of fish and the rest I avoid totally. But even with our choice hugely limited, the food completely charmed us. Definitely worth a visit for the lovers of good food and beer by the gallons, and even more so if you enjoy seafood.
Location : Kodava Samaja Building, No. 7, 1st Main Road, Vasanthnagar, Bangalore
My rating: 5 on 5. I could find no fault in the place and am most definitely going to go back at the first opportunity.
P.S I am writing this post nearly a month late and it’s nearly time for the next Shamiana Shorts evening at AFB. Am looking forward to the evening with undisguised enthusiasm and think a second visit to Windsor Pub is on the cards. Or maybe Mangalore Pearl, yet another seafood jaunt that I love and where I shamelessly order chicken 🙂 (review coming up soon)
PlainGeets 