Sometimes, life just isn't how it appears to be. While some people may seem cheerful and happy on the outside, they might actually be battling their own demons deep inside. More often than not, such people keep these mental health issues to themselves, rather than reveal their state of mind, and face social stigma in the bargain.
The White Dream, a short film directed by Vaibhav Naik and produced by Maskhara Studios, Alden Menezes and Damodar Naik brings out this issue on screen.
This film has been selected among the top 10 in the Goa section of IFFI this year and will be screened at INOX Panjim Auditorium 3 on November 23, 2022.
THE MAKING OF THE FILM
Coming from a theatre background, Naik had already made a strong footing in the field of theatre with his acting. However, it is during the pandemic, when theatre took a backseat and he wasn’t able to connect to his audience that film-making came into the picture.
He says, “I wrote many stories and scripts during the lockdown and The White Dream was close to me. I wanted to bring out this story and thought of turning it into a short film. This was the first film which I had written and directed.”
INSPIRATION FOR THE FILM
What is it that got Naik to pen down the story? He shares, “I was very interested in reading and researching about mental disorders. This theme would often make me curious to understand how people were struggling and dealing with several disorders. Therefore, I thought of working on the similar topic in the film.”
THE NAME ‘WHITE DREAM’
The short film is entitled The White Dream. Naik explains the reason for the name. He says, “Dreams are in the form of a 'white blur'. There is a sort of white tinge to them. Therefore, the colour white is both good and bad, at the same time. Hence, we decided on the name The White Dream.”
REHEARSING, SHOOTING, EDITING
“When we decided to make the film, the artistes who we had selected (for the film) were all busy with their own work. In spite of that, they would work on the film on any Saturdays and Sundays when they were free. And, within a month or so, they put together the film,” says Naik.
The rehearsal, shooting and editing took the team of The White Dream nearly one and half month to complete. “We worked a lot on the film. We didn’t merely shoot or act. We were all new and fresh with this medium. So, we carefully planned and shot the video, and rehearsed several times untill we got it right" Naik mentions.
CAST AND CREW
The cast of the film includes Prerna Palekar, Alisha Menezes, Yeesha Neswankar and Aditya Verma.
Vaibhav Naik (Story/Screenplay/Director), Aditya Verma and Sairaj Naik (Assistant Director), Aditya Patil (Cinematographer), Nehal Chari (Editor), Saurabh Karkhanis (Post-Production Head), Mandar Kelkar (Music), Sairaj Naik (Gaffer), Nikhil Haldankar, Esha Vaigankar (Post Associate), Maskhara Studios and Alden Menezes (Producer), Damodar Naik (Co-Producer), Alisha Menezes (Costume/ Subtitles), Anuja Purohit, Raul Dmello and Flora Pereira.
IT'S ABOUT CHANGING PERCEPTIONS
People, today, have varied perceptions and notions when it comes making films in Goa. But, Naik is determined to make his way into films in Goa, itself. He says that youngsters today need to be supported.
"Support of family and friends is what is needed to push young filmmakers. There is a lot of good content that is coming in, but the right kind of support and the encouragement is missing," Naik laments.
EXPLORE GOA'S CULTURAL SIDE
Naik elaborates that Goa has a lot of potential and content. "People are making good films in Goa. If filmmakers continue to tap the cultural side of this beautiful land, we can take regional cinema to great heights. And, I also want to explore and bring forward this side of Goa," Naik adds.
Excited that the film has made it to IFFI's Goa section, he says that it is entirely a team effort and he plans on bringing out more of these films that not only bring out the story, but also provide a platform to new artistes to showcase their skills.