3.15am, 14min., India, Thriller
Directed by Amit Raj Verma
Every night at 3.15 a.m., a thud sound of shovel from under the bed begins to haunt a man. Perplexed with the sound and other happenings around him, he suspects that his wife is haunting him. But night after night the happenings intensify until he decides to deal with the situation. On the final night he waits for 3:15 a.m., fully prepared to face the scare but gets appalled to see something trying to pop out of the ground this time. He unravels the mystery of 3.15 a.m. but the truth stays beyond and longer.

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Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

My seed of thought was the emotionally complex relationship of a wife and a husband. Only they know what goes on between them, for others it's a mere conjecture, which is why in the end of this film, you can guess but can't separate right from wrong. Making it a psycho-thriller seemed like a perfect fit.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

Two months in totality. 15 days went into ideation and pre-production, 2 days of shoot and about one and a half month in post-production.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Bewitching Hour

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Fortunately, it was a smooth process but it took me the longest to finalize BGM and SFX. It demanded precision especially because there were no dialogues almost till the end of the film, so the sound had to do a lot of telling.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video.

I was overwhelmed !!! Also because the reactions came from those who are unknown and unbiased. The fact that even the details of the films were perceived exactly the way I wanted was very fulfilling and encouraging.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I have been a storyteller from the age of 10. I used to tell stories to my cousins, and my friends. My grandfather encouraged me to participate in school competitions. Winning awards at that young age and then getting a chance to work as an associate director to the veteran Bollywood filmmaker 'Raj Kumar Santoshi' in my twenties were a stamp to my passion. from then I knew I never wanted to look back.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

I have grown up watching Indian Cinema, Director Ashutosh Gowarikar's film 'LAGAN' has been my favorite.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

Speaking for my fraternity, I think apart from the applause and appreciation, the film must reach the potential buyers and marketeers. It's a survival essential.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

It is extremely systematic. There are daily basis updates and alerts. There are timely reminders and elaborated details of the festivals.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Rajma-Chawal (Kidney beans and rice). It's a no brainer. Coming from a land of spices and great food, this combination is loved by almost every North Indian vegetarian.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I am writing a film named 'Cocoon'. It's a 90-minute romantic social drama with pinch of humor. USP of the film is one artist and one location with an entirely different genre and concept from 3.15 a.m. If I find the substantial producers, then I can go on floor in May 2023.