Samir Zaidi’s Two Sinners selected for BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival

Mumbai-based filmmaker and visual artist Samir Zaidi’s debut short film, Two Sinners, continues its impressive international festival journey with yet another prestigious selection — the BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF) in York, United Kingdom. Presented by acclaimed Indian auteur Vishal Bhardwaj, who also serves as Executive Producer, the film will make its European premiere at ASFF this November as India’s only live-action selection at the festival.

Mumbai filmmaker Samir Zaidi’s Two Sinners to premiere in Europe at Aesthetica Short Film Festival

Founded in York, ASFF is one of the UK’s leading film events and an official BAFTA-qualifying festival. Showcasing over 400 films from more than 40 countries each year, it celebrates bold, original storytelling and emerging voices in global cinema.

Vishal praised Samir’s artistic voice, calling Two Sinners “a compelling and deeply personal film” that reflects the young director’s “dedication to exploring complex human emotions and morally intricate narratives.”

Samir, who both wrote and directed the film, described Two Sinners as an attempt to confront difficult questions around justice, revenge, and the moral cost of violence. “To have the film recognised at the BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival — as India’s only live-action entry this year — feels deeply special,” he said. “It reaffirms that stories rooted in our realities can resonate globally.”

Set against the haunting backdrop of an Indian forest, the film follows Azhar (Shardul Bhardwaj — BAFTA Breakthrough Talent), who is forced by his brother to confront the man responsible for their sister’s assault. The story delves into cycles of violence and the fragile boundaries between justice and forgiveness, featuring powerful performances by Deipak Sampat, Baharul Islam and Aditi Sivaraman.

Produced by Samir Zaidi and Shivam Gupta (Executive Producer of Venice award-winner Songs of Forgotten Trees), with Vipin Sharma (Hotel Mumbai, Taare Zameen Par) as co-producer, Two Sinners represents the strength of India’s independent cinema on the world stage.

After premiering at the New York Indian Film Festival, the film has travelled through Melbourne, Chicago, and the Oscar-qualifying Tasveer Film Festival in Seattle — cementing Zaidi’s emergence as a bold new voice in contemporary Indian storytelling.

For more updates, join/follow our

https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb677uz60eBXiDYheb0n

https://t.me/+qUK5DvyQQJI2NWFl

https://www.youtube.com/indulgeexpress