• Release year: 2024
• Director: Ishan Shukla.
• Producers: Ishan Shukla and Bich-Quân Tran.
• Screenplay by: Ishan Shukla.
• Storyboard artist: Shahab Serwaty.
• Music by: Sneha Khanwalkar.

Shotgun Commentary: a commentary on the hypocrisy and mendacity of power structures, and the ease with which they manipulate the masses.

Review

Schirkoa is an animation feature that presents a dystopic future in which society is separated into three settlements, each of them with their own challenging notions. A man working for the ministry of one of these communities begins a path of self reflection and spiritual discovery. This leads him to learn about all three settlements and to understand better the world that surrounds him.

Too much bark, no bite

The first settlement he finds himself at is Schirkoa. It is ruled by four “wise” people who choose the rules and the propaganda that is to be spread. They also plan military attacks and other violent actions to submit their population and the surrounding areas. The main rule of behaviour in this place is to wear a paper bag on the head at all times. The theory is that it provides uniformity. This is not a concept unlike the one explored in We Happy Few (2018). However, unlike the video game, the film falls short when it comes to developing its meaning and application.

What differences are being eliminated through this measure? It’s not race, since there doesn’t seem to be a problem with showing other parts of skin. It’s not physical discrimination, since the bodies are still visible. Likewise, it’s not economical, since clothes are more telling than faces in this regard, and everyone wears different outfits.

More questions than answers

This brings us to think about the Indian caste system. Since people don’t have names but numbers, this society could have been trying to eradicate that particular societal problem. However, this takes away the universal factor of the narrative. Furthermore, if the goal is to do away with “anomalies”, which is how they call people with mutations such as horns or wings, doesn’t that make them the stone in their own shoe?

All these questions are accompanied, of course, with the obvious practical ones such as, what if it rains? Or, does the bag break when you work out and sweat with it on? Can you clean them, or do you get a new one every day? How do you wash your hair? The list can go on indefinitely.

Politics and the flaw in excess

The second settlement is the one that confirms that this film is more a commentary based on the Indian society than on a universal one. While themes like political corruption and the manipulation of masses through fear are something that everyone can relate to, the rebellious youth fighting against segregation in Konthaqa points out to a more specific type of society, the same society that has been critiqued and portrayed not that long ago in Monkey Man (2024). Konthaqa is a refugee state that is supposed to be a haven for all immigrants and anomalies, but turns out to be its own kind of horror.

Both societies seem to represent a kind of political “careful what you wish for”, both with their own version of the same good, and a warped exaggeration of reality if conservative and progressive ideals were to be completely realised. In comparison, the third settlement, a Tibetan-looking society living in what looks like a huge temple, doing nothing other than pray, think and…probably garden? Seems like the best possible option, even if it offers nothing other than peaceful silence.

The film could be analysed to infinity, but the most relevant bits have already been exposed, so it’s time to turn to the technical part of it.

The big no-no

Long story short, it looks like an incredibly long video game cinematic. Sadly, the animation technique is not the best for a feature. Although animation allows for more special effects than live action would, the lack of definition makes your eyes hurt after a while and you to lose interest as a consequence. Even if you want to see what happens next, your eyes force you to look away from the screen from time to time due to the strange combination of focus and lack thereof.

All in all, Schirkoa has a lot of things to say, but most get lost in the chaos of the story. Regardless, it is an interesting project that could have benefitted from a more focused animation and further story development.

Thanks to EIFF 2024 for big screen access!

Advice to take from this movie:

• Why are the love interest’s abs the only well focused thing?
• Why is the love interest practically naked all the time, while he’s fully clothed? Aren’t we past this incel mentality yet?
• The sexual identity exploration bit seems a bit too much, like another element on an already overcrowded plate.

What’s your take? Have you watched Schirkoa? What do you think of the animation style? What’s your favourite dystopian future?

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