THE UNSEEN WOUND

Synopsis
In the bustling world of American success, Raghav and Ketki, a software engineer couple, decide to leave behind their thriving careers and return to their ancestral village in India. Driven by an unshakable commitment to social service, they dedicate themselves to the noble mission of cleaning the sacred river that flows through their homeland. Their efforts are rewarded in the most miraculous way—the couple is blessed with the gift of parenthood.
But joy turns into anguish when Ketki first lays eyes on her newborn daughter. The child’s dark complexion comes as a shock to the couple, so deeply conditioned are they by societal ideals of beauty. Suspicions arise, and they begin to doubt the very origins of their child. It is only through the scientific explanation of chromosomal variation by their doctor that they come to terms with the truth.
Yet, this acceptance is not enough to shield them from the harsh gaze of society. In a culture that prizes fairness and undervalues daughters, the birth of a dark-skinned girl becomes a subject of scorn. Ketki, once a woman of grace and confidence, finds herself crumbling under the weight of societal judgment. Overwhelmed by taunts and whispers, she begins to harbor feelings of inadequacy and despair, even as a mother…
Best Short Film