THE BLACK CAT *** India 2017 Dir: Bhargav Saikia 19 mins
An adaptation of Ruskin Bonds short story directed by Bhargav Saikia, this is the tale of said author played by Tom Alter (an accomplished Indian actor who sadly passed away in Sept this year) who purchases a broomstick from an antiques store which brings about a home invasion from a rather inquisitive cat that seems to have a great affection for the broomstick. This leads the eccentric Mr. Bond to try and discover who this cat belongs to and return him home.
A mysterious spinster appears to claim the cat but little does Mr. Bond know that the cat and the odd Miss. Bellows have an ulterior motive. With the grand total of 3 human characters and 2 cats this short film is endearing and quirky with likeable characters and an easy to follow story. The main feline star is cute as a button and for once plays a fairly substantial role rather then just being responsible for providing the inevitable “cat scare”. It is most definitely on the lighter side of horror being far more kooky than creepy but it is well acted and shot with great attention to detail on the set and soundtrack. In short its a really nice film that will leave you with a smile on your face.
Review by Sarah Budd