Short film is a genre in its own right, offering immense scope for innovative themes and experimentation. Making of short films can be a good platform to fine tune skills as a film maker, says Karthick Naren , the acclaimed director of `Duruvangal Pathirnaru’.

In his inaugural address at the 10th edition of AVTAR International Film Festival organised by the School of Communication of G.R, Damodaran College of Science, he said, “I have made my mark as a short film maker before graduating to make feature films.” The universal availability of technology and the low cost factor have made short films a favorite medium for the youngsters to learn the art of cinema. Short film is a medium where new narrative techniques and visual idioms can be employed, he said.

“The increasing number of entries in this festival is a clear indication that short film-making has captured the imagination of the youth. Over 75 per cent short films out of the 155 entries in this festival are from students and youth. Among them, many are from engineering students. Aspiring short film makers should look around to find socially relevant themes. There plenty of them waiting to be explored,” he said.

Short films could be made with minimum resources, and a small team, he added.

Logesh Kanakaraj, director of the recently released and well-received crime thriller `Maanagaram, said that while earlier generation film makers got their apprenticeship by working under established film directors, the present generation resort to making short films as it has become their training ground now.

In his presidential address, Dr. D. Damodaran, Correspondent of GRD Institutions, said “AVTAR, the annual film festival of the college, has grown in stature over the years and awards are given in 13 categories including best direction, cinematography, editing etc. The two-day festival offers a good platform to short film makers every year. Apart from short films, 13 documentaries, three animation films and 32 ad films have entered this year’s festival of which 16 made it to the final round.”

College secretary Dr. Geeta Padmanabhan and Principal Dr. T. Shantha addressed the gathering.