Director Dr. Medhatithi Barman’s psychological drama ‘It’s Not Aesop’s Fable’ emerged as one of the notable films at the 11th Durgapur International Film Festival (DIFF), organised at Nandan. The film not only received an encouraging response from audiences for its layered narrative and unconventional storytelling but also earned the Best Film – 2nd Runner-Up honour at the festival.
The film takes viewers into a mysterious psychological world where the line between reality and imagination constantly shifts. At the centre of the story is a lonely man who is found unconscious. After regaining consciousness, he makes a disturbing claim—that he saw three dead bodies inside his own house.
But were the bodies actually there? Or was he witnessing something created by his own troubled state of mind?
As a compassionate doctor begins questioning him, the mystery gradually unfolds through multiple layers. With every revelation, the audience is encouraged to reconsider what they believe to be true. The film deliberately avoids a straightforward distinction between truth and deception, instead exploring the uncertain grey area that exists between the two.
A series of unexpected twists keeps the narrative engaging, while the film’s central psychological question continues to linger: Should we believe the black, the white, or the grey shades of reality?
One of the film’s distinctive features is its production process. ‘It’s Not Aesop’s Fable’ was shot entirely in Bardhaman town, the district headquarters of Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal. From cinematography and shooting to dubbing, sound designing, editing, colour grading, colour correction and colour enhancement, almost every stage of production was completed around Bardhaman.
The film thus also highlights the potential of local talent and infrastructure in creating independent cinema outside conventional production centres.
The film is produced by Dr. Joyita Saha, Dr. Neepamঞ্জari Barman and Dr. Jharna Barman. The cast includes Tapan Kumar Aditya, Dr. Arnab Moulik, Dr. Neepamঞ্জari Barman, Soumyadeep Sarkar, Pradip Yash, Sukumar Sarkar, Dr. Joyita Saha and Bidhan Bandyopadhyay.
Amrita Bhattacharya has lent her voice to the film’s song, with music direction by Kabir Ahmed Raju and Rajesh Munshi. Dipankar Dutta Majumdar handled editing and colour grading, while cinematography was carried out by Ashwini, Suman Mukhopadhyay and Dr. Medhatithi Barman. Dr. Tapajyoti Das handled video and colour enhancement.
The film’s recognition as the Best Film – 2nd Runner-Up at DIFF adds another significant achievement to its journey. Its festival success, coupled with the audience response, highlights the growing appreciation for thought-provoking psychological dramas and unconventional storytelling.
With mystery, psychological depth and an ambiguous reality at its core, ‘It’s Not Aesop’s Fable’ leaves audiences with a question that extends beyond the screen—when reality has shades of grey, which version do you choose to believe?
