- By Srishti Pandey
- Tue, 04 Feb 2025 04:50 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Indian filmmaker Rhea Shukla’s short film Ruse has secured an official selection at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, set to take place from February 13 to 23, 2025. The Berlinale, counted among the “Big Three” film festivals alongside Cannes and Venice, is renowned for celebrating compelling and innovative voices in global cinema.
With Ruse, Shukla presents an evocative and intimate narrative that delves into unspoken emotions between young girls—a theme rarely explored in mainstream Indian cinema. Set against the backdrop of a rain-drenched afternoon, the film subtly unravels a story of quiet longing as a dance rehearsal becomes a moment of self-discovery.
Shukla, an emerging writer-director, splits her time between India and New York, where she is currently pursuing an MFA in Screenwriting and Directing at Columbia University. Her work often explores themes of gaze, identity, and gender, earning recognition at major international festivals. She previously won Best Music Video at the Drunken Film Festival Oakland in 2023 for I wanna be like you by Ora the Molecule and contributed as a creative consultant for Madhu (Honey)—a short film that premiered at Rotterdam and received a Special Mention Jury Award at the Palm Springs International ShortFest.
Speaking about the journey behind Ruse, Shukla shared:
"I wrote this script on an impulse years ago, drawing from a childhood memory. But what truly shaped the film was finding the right collaborators—people who took ownership of the story alongside me. It felt like the film was being guided by something beyond us, and I’m incredibly grateful for that."
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While Indian cinema has seen increasing representation at the Berlinale, Shukla’s selection is a significant milestone. The festival has previously honoured legendary Indian filmmakers, including Satyajit Ray, who won the Silver Bear for Best Director for Mahanagar (1964) and Charulata (1965) and Nagesh Kukunoor, whose Dhanak (2015) won the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury.
Attracting over half a million attendees annually, the Berlinale screens around 400 films across 1,000 showings, with past honorees including renowned actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep.