VIJAYAWADA: While the movie Baahubali, directed by SS Rajamouli, is already making waves at Cannes film festival in France, a short film scripted by a budding film-maker Raja Nishanth Pothineni from the city is also going to be screened.
The short-film titled ’60 EIGHT’ is a fictional drama and will be screened under school film category. Only 52 short-films have been selected for screening at the festival from India.
29-year old Raja Pothineni, son of noted Cardiologist P Ramesh Babu and nephew of film producer Sravanti Ravi Kishore completed his schooling in Siddhartha Public School and did his post-graduation in the United States.
After completion of his PG, he started pursuing Master of Fine Arts in film-making at New York Film Academy and is currently settled in the United States. His film ‘60 EIGHT’ is one among the 546 short-films selected from the US and was scripted by him as part of his academics.
“I am happy to be a part of this Cannes-nominated project. With my passion towards this creative field I have stopped my B Tech education in the middle and went to Australia to pursue Bachelor of Creative Arts. Three months ago, I have discussed the script with my father Ramesh Babu and asked him not to given any publicity for my project", Raja Nishanth Pothineni told Express.
Referring to the script description, he said the 15-minute-short-film titled “60 EIGHT” revolves around an 8-year old boy John, who meets with an unfortunate accident that leaves him in a minimally conscious / vegetative state for 52 years.
As he struggles to go through life, out of place and out of time, he happens to come across somebody from his past, his best friend, an 8-year-old Sarah.The authenticity of emotion, and commitment to the moment and the co-actors, is valued more than the performances tailored for the audiences, he says.
“I handled the script and the editing department of the short film. I congratulate the producers and my friends’ for backing me in scripting the film," he says.
"As of now, I am focusing on script writing and I will back to India by the end of 2016 to direct concept oriented films in Telugu film industry," he added.