The first Malayalam language short film shot in Bahrain, featuring 3-D animation using AI (artificial intelligence), is set to release this year with a cast of more than 40 actors based in the kingdom.
Stars in the Darkness is a ‘family-oriented’ movie directed by Indian expatriate and creative talent Lini Stanly.
Running for around 20 minutes, it features an ‘imaginary character that has been brought alive’ by MAYANS VFX based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
“The short film explores various emotions,” Ms Stanly, who also wrote the story, screenplay and dialogues, told the GDN.
“The character appears for a part of the movie but that’s all I can reveal for now.
“It’s been an enriching experience to work on this project and I’ve enjoyed taking on these creative roles. We’re excited to be having the 3-D animation as part of the film. Since it’s an imaginary character, we decided to design it using this technology,” she added.
The 48-year-old multi-talented artist has also sung for and acted in numerous music albums. She was also a state-level athlete during her school days.
The creative from Segaiya is also admired by her fans for her writing skills and has lived in Bahrain for the last 18 years.
“Stars in the Darkness is also the first short film from Bahrain where a woman has taken up the roles of story writing, screenplay, dialogue writing, and direction simultaneously,” a representative of the creative project claimed.
A puja (prayer) ceremony was held to mark the completion of the filming this month, at the Sree Narayana Cultural Society (SNCS) Bahrain auditorium in Salmaniya.
The event was inaugurated by prominent figures from the kingdom’s arts and cultural community, including Sopanam (temple percussion performance) Guru Santhosh Kailas, social worker Charles Alukka, SNCS president Krishna Kumar and eminent Kathakali (an Indian dance style) performer Kalamandalam Karunakara Kurup.
Guru Kailas carried out the ‘switch-on’ ceremony and Mr Alukka gave the ‘first clap’, symbolic of new beginnings. Production controllers Stanly Thomas (Ms Stanly’s husband) and Vinod Attingal released the title of the short film during the ceremony along with Ms Stanly and cinematographer and director of photography Jacob Creative Bees.
The film, released under the banner Linsa Media, stars Bahrain-based media and theatre personality Vinod Narayanan and social media expert Samita Maxo in the lead roles.
“The movie was shot over seven days across various locations in Bahrain including Hidd, Jurdab, Segaiya and Salmaniya. It is now in the editing stage and the animation work is also in progress. We will release later this year or early next year,” added Ms Stanley, who is a nurse by profession and lives with her husband and two sons, Alan and Aron.
melissa@gdnmedia.bh
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