Dubai

All he had were his friends, and a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR). What happens when three 15-year-olds get hold of a camera? Grade 10 student of Emirates National School, Sharjah, Bittu Binoy and his friends since kindergarten, Jerry Jaimon and Shaun Saji finished shooting for their first short film, ‘A beautiful mind’ in February.

When Gulf News asked these teenagers - why?

Binoy said: “We knew of a boy in our school who was blind. His name was Mustafa. He received a 90 per cent [score] in his board exam. Our film is based on a character with similar problems, who later manages to tackle issues victoriously.”

The plot of this film has a lot of relevance to today’s generation. Binoy has directed and scripted skits for programmes at St Mary’s Jacobite Church, Sharjah. The trio were inspired to make a film based on reality.

“This movie provides the perspective of a student who is considered ‘weak’ in society,” Binoy said.

In today’s competitive world, survival of the fittest is usually what one sees. Binoy feels that people think a student to be weak if he or she is poor in academics, does not fall in the “popular” category, sits on the last bench and is an introvert by nature.

“None of these things has anything to do with the student’s mental calibre but unfortunately, these symptoms are misconstrued as such,” Binoy said.

The plot of the film is about Jerry (Jaimon), a boy in High School who has been at the receiving end of bullying at school. The loss of his mother when he was 10 years of age was the last nail in the coffin. The story begins with the traumatic experience Jerry undergoes after his mother’s death. His father has always benignly supported him albeit Jerry’s failure to acknowledge him. The turning point in the plot is a music keyboard competition held at Jerry’s school. He reluctantly listens to his father and auditions for the competition. To his and everyone else’s surprise, he succeeds. His mother had taught him. “The story is of a boy who comes of age, realises his potential and boosts his self confidence,” Binoy said.

The film, which is in its post production stage, is scheduled to release before the summer holidays and will be screened in the boy’s school. The film is seeking to be all over social media as part of its promotions.

“I would like to dedicate this film to all student and teachers in the world and would like to thank everyone who was behind its making,” Binoy told Gulf News.

The trailer of the film has released and can be viewed on Youtube (www.youtube/_nt8ms47L4M).

— The writer is an intern with the Readers Desk at Gulf News.