Rishi Chandna's Tungrus, Ronny Sen’s Cat Sticks win at Slamdance Film Festival

The eccentric documentary short, Tungrus (2018), about a pet rooster living in a middle-class home in Mumbai has picked up top honours at the Slamdance Film Festival on 31 January. Cat Sticks, directed by Ronny Sen, received in an honourable mention in the Narrative Feature category. Dollhouse by Nicole Brending won the Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize.

Running alongside the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, the competition section of Slamdance is focused on the independent, low-budgeted (under $1 million) films by first-time directors.

Directed by Rishi Chandna, Tungrus won the Documentary Short Grand Jury Prize on Thursday evening at the awards ceremony held at the Treasure Mountain Inn. In the short, the Bharde family of four lives with their pets — two cats, Ginger and Garlic, and a rooster.

No longer the cute baby chick, the rooster terrorizes the Bharde family in their home. However, they have to come to a difficult decision. Should they eventually eat their family pet, or will he continue to live inharmoniously with them all?

Sen’s Cat Sticks was only Indian feature competing in the Narrative Feature Competition category this year. The photographer makes his directorial debut with the black and white film that looks at three characters — Pablo, Ronnie, Deshik — and their brown sugar addiction.

Previously, filmmakers like Joe and Anthony Russo, Christopher Nolan and Marc Forster have all show their films at Slamdance.