An Indian short film exploring the fear of artificial intelligence taking over jobs has received support from Jonas as it prepares for an Oscar campaign. Titled We Were Here, the 11-minute comedy, written and directed by , has actor and activist-playwright V as executive producers.




The film has already traveled to over 80 international festivals, winning more than 20 awards. The success it got at the Palm Springs International ShortFest has qualified it for consideration for the .




Priyanka said she was impressed by the film's approach to a subject that is quite relevant. "This film offers a refreshing, witty take on a subject that feels very timely. I jumped at the opportunity to come on board as an executive producer to amplify this creative team and ensure their brilliant, original vision gets the spotlight it deserves," she said.



Three retired men take on artificial intelligence


We Were Here takes place in a fictional Indian town, where three retired men think machines are taking away jobs from humans. Instead of staging a traditional protest, they opt to battle technology by donning the guise of household appliances.




The three protagonists are Mr Bagchi, Mr Pimple and Mr Ganguli, played by Satish Kashyap, Devendra Dodke and Arindol Bagchi respectively. Their unconventional campaign takes a surprising turn when one of their children enters the artificial intelligence business and they are forced to confront the changing relationship between humans and machines.




Bhasin has described the project as an idea that started off as a joke about three men trying to stop AI. The story also questions if society is giving enough thought to humanity while focusing on technological advancement, he told The Hollywood Reporter India in an interview.



From film festivals to the Academy Awards campaign


The film made its world premiere at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, where it won the Canal+ Prize. It subsequently made an impact at South by Southwest (SXSW), winning the Best Narrative Short Audience Award and the Redbreast Unhidden Award.




The latter recognition brought Andrew Scott on board as an executive producer. The actor, known for projects including Fleabag, curated the award's selections and chose the winning film.




At Palm Springs International ShortFest, We Were Here won Best Live-Action Short Film Under 15 Minutes and Best Comedy Short. The recognition secured its eligibility for Academy Award consideration.




The New Yorker has also acquired the short film and plans to premiere it on its official YouTube channels, potentially bringing the project to a wider audience.




According to The Hollywood Reporter India, producer Yash Gonsai and Bhasin are preparing an Oscar campaign involving screenings in New York, Los Angeles and London, with efforts to reach Academy voters in different countries.



Who is filmmaker Pranav Bhasin?


Bhasin began directing films at the age of 13 and made his first series for TVF when he was 17. His earlier short films include Wolf of Chawl Street, which won the Silver Dimensions award at the Mumbai Film Festival in 2017, and New Year's Eve, which received recognition at the festival in 2018.




His other projects include Taylor's Version and Screaming on the Fly. His work has also featured at SXSW and on platforms such as Mubi, Short of the Week and Vimeo Staff Picks.