utkarsh

Happy to share the trailer to ‚A Circle as the Center of the Whole‘ by Forum Expanded returnee Utkarsh @pure.intervals :) The film approaches the city of Delhi as a site excavated by history, ideology and the act of remembrance itself. Fragments from state records, mythic narratives and personal memory construct a speculative archive that disrupts any attempts at fixing the city’s identity as a monolith. The figure of a demolished mosque looms over a present-day excavation, as a childhood encounter with loss takes the shape of a hole in the ground. Archaeology functions as both method and metaphor, through which A Circle as the Center of the Whole examines cycles of discovery and erasure implicit in personal and political claims over the city, reimagining its terrain through detours. What emerges is an alternate historiography marked by ruptures, which asks how absence comes to organise memory and space.

I am so very thrilled to announce that my short film, A Circle as the Center of the Whole, will have its world premiere in the Forum Expanded section of the 76th Berlinale, alongside some truly exceptional artists and films that make up this year’s edition, Unauthorised Versions. @berlinale @berlinaleforum The making of this film, much like the film itself, has been a piecing together of fragments collected over a childhood spent in Delhi, and the years after, thinking about the city from afar. As you can imagine, this makes for an exceptionally long list of people whose presence has shaped my life and, in turn, this film. Here are just a few without whom this work would be inconceivable. First and foremost, @pranavnigam06 for composing the music - a guiding light in taming a chaotic edit. I am at a loss for words when it comes to describing the genius behind your work. Aidan Reynolds, for giving the film a life of its own and the ability to inhabit space through an airtight mix. Immense gratitude (and countless apologies) to the recording engineers who endured endless voice-over recordings as I tried to “get it right.” @rashedqurwash @saremashorr & @do.the.locomotion - the patience of saints. @leo.pirondi for all the sage advice on all things film, steady supply of memes, and meticulous film scans. Lastly, and really actually firstly, none of this would be possible without the unwavering support of family, friends, and mentors. You know who you are 🤍 Grateful to the curators @uli_ziemons @karina_griffith_ & Shai Heredia, for their faith in the film and for welcoming it into this year’s edition. February. Berlin. See you ✨ #forumexpanded #berlinaleforum #berlinale2026