Reema Maya’s Nocturnal Burger’ is now a contender for the Oscars

After having its World premiere at Sundance Film Festival, Nocturnal Burger about child abuse is now in consideration for Best Live-Action Short Film at the 96th Academy Awards

Award-winning filmmaker Reema Maya’s (aka Reema Sengupta) short film Nocturnal Burger is now in consideration for Best Live Action Short Film at the 96th Academy Awards. The Oscar shortlist and nominations will be announced in December and January respectively.

After making its World Premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, the short has traveled to 50+ film festivals across the world and won 34 awards including the Oscar-qualifying Golden Chair Award for Best International Short at KortfilmFestivalen, Norway, Best International Short Special Mention – Palm Springs International Shortfest, USA, Best International Short - Meeting Point Section - Seminci Valladolid Film Festival, Spain, Film Critics Guild Gender Sensitivity Award - Dharamshala International Film Festival, India. 

The 28-minute short film is about a 13-year-old girl and a 30-something man who are brought to a police station in Mumbai in the middle of the night by two strangers. Amidst questionable motives and unreliable narrators, a frustrated female constable investigates what happened that night, and what could’ve happened.

The film stars Bebo Madiwal, Millo Sunka, Trupti Khamkar, Shrikant Mohan Yadav (Lust Stories 2), Pushpendra Singh, Somnath Mondal, Vicky Shinde and Mukesh Pachode.

A Catnip film presented by XRM Media is produced by Reema Maya and Michael Y Chow and executive produced by Surekha Sengupta, Sue Turley, and William Wen. 

Reema’s last short film Counterfeit Kunkoo had its World Premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival as the only short film from India at the festival and the first Indian fiction short to be selected there in 16 years. It has since been selected at 120+ international film festivals and won 40 awards. It was also showcased in Sundance 2022 as part of their 40th Anniversary program. The film was also featured on Criterion, Mubi, and Nowness and was awarded Vimeo Staff Pick - Best of Month.

Reema, writer-director of the film, who also directed and produced music videos for reputed artists such as Prateek Kuhad, Ritviz, and Divine says, “The Oscars were a big distant dream, it’s blowing my mind that we’re actually in consideration. What’s important to us is that being a contender for the Academy Awards gives us the ability to represent India and have important conversations in Nocturnal Burger on the biggest stage. We need our communities to show up and support us so we can be heard louder.”

Michael Y Chow, Producer of the film says, “Nocturnal Burger deserves all the recognition it is getting. It is an important film with an important voice. We’re so proud of it.”

Sue Turley, Executive producer of the film says, “I knew the moment that I was introduced to Reema, that she was an incredibly talented storyteller. We are honored to be working with her.”