The BMW Shorties awarded its Grand Prize for the year 2018 to the short film ‘Colourless’ by Ananth Subramaniam, a moving story of the journey of a young, aspiring swimmer and her struggles in navigating the waters between her swimming community and life with her single father.
The 14-minute short film was presented with the coveted title of the BMW Shorties 2018 Grand Prize at the BMW Shorties Awards Night 2018, where the team also walked away with a production grant of RM 80,000 to fund their next short film.
‘Colourless’ takes us into the world of Samantha – a gifted young swimmer whose desire to be seen for her talent is perennially undermined by the reality of her circumstances. Struggling to connect with her single father while dealing with adolescent insecurities, Samantha’s story is a reminder of how the path of self-validation for one’s passion and talent can be filled with loneliness and frustration; but with relentless drive and unwavering belief, the chance to shine will come within reach.
‘Colourless’ stood out as the frontrunner for the judges this year with its production quality, which breathes depth and impact into the narrative through commendable creative direction, sound design and editing skills, and actor performance. The short film also took home supporting awards for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, Best Editing, and Best Actress.
“We hoped to portray the theme “DRIVE” as rooted in the everyday. There is a ‘Samantha’ in all of us – we are always working towards that one thing in life that gets us up every morning and keeps us going. The caveat is that it’s not always an easy journey; but the reward is worth it. ‘Colourless’ is our way of telling that story of drive, dream and desire, which all of us can relate to within our own circumstances,’ said Ananth.
