Rahul Roye’s ‘Aman’ Wins Best Short Film Award at BFI London Film Festival

LONDON, Oct 19: Indian filmmaker Rahul Roye’s short film Aman has won the Best Short Film award at the 70th BFI London Film Festival, adding another significant achievement to its festival journey following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Written and directed by Roye, the film follows a transgender man who discovers he is pregnant on the eve of his gender-affirming surgery. The unexpected development prompts him to confront questions surrounding identity, masculinity, fatherhood and his relationship with his body.

Featuring Kabir Maan and Sirat Taneja, the film places transgender characters at the centre of an intimate narrative that challenges conventional perceptions of gender and parenthood.

The festival jury, comprising Helen Simmons, Leo Reich and Jack Casey, praised the film’s storytelling, visual composition and nuanced portrayal of complex human experiences.

“We were deeply impressed by Aman’s accomplished filmmaking, tackling knotty themes through authentic and nuanced characters we felt compelled to follow,” the jury said.

It also commended the film’s painterly cinematography and confident narrative approach, noting that its carefully developed storyline engages audiences without offering simplistic answers to the difficult questions it raises.

Reacting to the recognition, Roye said winning at the 70th edition of the prestigious festival was overwhelming in the best possible way.

“At a time when trans lives are being politically erased, legislated against, and pushed to the margins all across the globe, this win feels particularly meaningful and important,” the filmmaker said.

Producer Neeraj Churi also welcomed the achievement, describing Aman as a courageous and deeply moving work that encourages audiences to reconsider their understanding of identity, masculinity and parenthood.

He said the award was especially significant because the jury had recognised not only the film’s central theme but also the sensitivity, depth and cinematic vision with which Roye brought the story to the screen.

The film is a co-production involving the United Kingdom, the United States, India and France. It brings together an international team of filmmakers seeking to broaden representation and challenge established narratives through cinema.

Elle Leon Nostas, Apoorva Bakshi, Neeraj Churi, Tushar Tyagi and Abid Aziz Merchant are the producers, while Dominique Welinski, Nikkhil Advani and Stephen Harmaty serve as executive producers.

Roye, a self-taught Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and producer, has built his body of work around gender politics, queer identity and feminism. His storytelling focuses on emotionally driven narratives that explore questions of identity, relationships and social expectations.

His earlier short films, Man & Wife and A Lullaby for Yellow Roses, have also received recognition at film festivals.

With its latest achievement in London, Aman strengthens its presence on the international festival circuit while bringing greater attention to stories that explore transgender experiences and the complexities of human identity.