By IANS,
New Delhi : A short film titled “Picnic” from Jaipur is traversing boundaries for screenings in Los Angeles and Phuket and director Gajendra S. Shrotriya says he is perhaps the first filmmaker from Rajasthan whose film is going to the festivals.
“Since the film has been appreciated so well and the jury has found it worthwhile, I am feeling great that I am the only one from Jaipur and perhaps from Rajasthan so far, for both these festivals,” Shrotriya told IANS by phone from Jaipur.
Picnic will be screened at the British Film Festival Los Angeles (BFFLA) May 6 and at the International Film Festival of Thailand (IFFT), which is starting July 14.
The 30-minute thriller has been written by Shrotriya and also produced by him under his banner Harbinger Creations.
He says getting selected for the festivals was not a rocket science.
“I submitted my film on amazon.com’s website withoutabox.com and got selected for the festivals. I had to do nothing but just pay the submission fee,” he said.
Made in 2008 on locations in and around Jaipur, the cast of the film includes local theatre artists like Sarvesh Vyas, Anil Marwari, Dilip Narooka and Manoj Swami.
“Picnic” reflects how human values erode when expectations and aspirations are hurt and mutual trust is lost.
It revolves around three friends Vikram, Raghav and Ranveer who aspire to be the state president of their political party. In the midst of it, they embark on a picnic to Kushalgarh forest and camp in the ruins of the old palace. What follows is a veiled doubt and conspiracy of killings.