In writer/director Nandan's 10-minute short film Breath, two working class youth in Bangalore resort to peddling marijuana to make a living. However, a new police chief brings a heavy crackdown on drug peddlers and when a stranger shows up at their door seeking to buy the two face a moment that will irrevocably change their lives. 

Breath is a tension-filled effort with strong performances by Nischal Ramesh and Sarath Kumar as the two young men for whom making a living becomes fueled by heightened tension and more than a little paranoia. Mallikarjun Devaramane is particularly strong as the unexpected guest whose agenda is never quite clear. The three amplify the drama evident in Surjith S. Pai's dark, shadowy lensing and facial expressions say almost as much as words throughout the film's just under 10-mnute running time. 

The film has already proven to be successful on the fest circuit with multiple award nominations at such fests as Al-Nahj International Film Festival, Bangalore International Short Film Festival, AltFF Alternative Film Festival, Burien Film Festival, Newark IFF Youth Festival, and several others. 

Breath, which is the first Malayalam Kannada bilingual short film, grabs your attention in its opening moments and holds on throughout as the tension builds and the story unfolds. Continuing on its festival journey, Breath is a film for you to check out if it arrives at a film festival near you. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic