Alpavirama is comma in Sanskrit - a precious pause - a brief stretch of time reclaimed for reflection and repose.

There is something intrinsically special about short films. Short films are like life itself, with multiple colours and nuances, each transient yet for ever. With the advent of low-cost, hi-tech,user-friendly digital video technology and internet ecosystems, filmmaking has become much more accessible. It is now possible for anyone interested (especially the young) to make their own short films, based on community ideas and local production but for a potentially global audience.

At the Film & Video Communication department in the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India, we have been promoting short filmmaking for over quarter of a century. Our alumni/alumnae occupy important creative positions in the moving image industry, in India and abroad. Thus it’s natural that we play an active role in establishing a credible exhibition platform for short films – especially those given life by the under-30 youth, in these disparate yet uniquely alike lands of Asia. Alpavirama 2011, 2014 and 2016 editions were significant steps in that direction, focusing on Asia. Alpavirama 2018, the fourth edition, should see us further consolidate and celebrate the vibrant Asian spirit, and the diverse yet converging flavours of Asian Cinema in all its short form glory.