SYNOPSIS
Inspired by Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’, a propaganda artist Bihaan traces his journey of becoming a vermin while trying to paint a nude portrait of his lover. As a sense of infidelity penetrates his personal relationships, he is posed with a question- what is morally corrupt- art or the artist?
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
The Dreamcatcher questions the stance of an onlooker. Through Bihaan’s life it tries to draw attention to how politics of promises has silently seeped the private space of a commoner. As an artist, Bihaan addresses issues like the Ukrainian conflict, but resorts to working for propaganda in his own country. Opportunism and shallowness of his politics culminates into his personal relationships becoming condescending and thus, ephemeral in nature. It is his art that has a soul of its own but Bihaan’s ‘self’ or ‘conscience’ is that of a vermin. I believe that both fiction and documentaries are a game of perspectives: while a documentary is the perspective of the maker, a fiction is that of the protagonist. The intention behind use of split screen in the film, hence, is to cover the scenes from two perspectives: Protagonist and Onlooker. The two perspectives playing simultaneously is meant generate a third meaning without directing the audience’s attention with cuts. The Dreamcatcher is the most significant slice of my own life. I have worked in propaganda, and the character of Bihaan is how I envisioned myself had I not gone through a career shift.