Experiencing Interruptions?

The Fallen

Genre: War
"The Fallen" is a shock-and-awe story about the choices our soldiers make in the midst of battlefield-chaos, before they fall. What are the moral stakes when we go to war? No answers. Only more questions.

  • Ananth Agastya
    Director
  • Ananth Agastya
    Writer
  • Ananth Agastya and Chaitra Bangalore
    Producer
  • John Yancey
    Key Cast
    "Staff Sgt. Reed"
  • Nolan Harper
    Key Cast
    "Sgt. Johnson"
  • Matthew Pettigrew
    Key Cast
    "Pvt. West"
  • Amy Massey
    Key Cast
    "Enemy Combatant 2"
  • Averly Belle Burns
    Key Cast
    "Enemy Combatant 1"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    March 18, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • North Texas Film Festival
    Dallas, Texas
    United States
    September 28, 2019
    Texas Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Great Lakes State Film Festival
    Bay City, Michigan
    United States
    August 9, 2019
    World Premiere
    Best Cinematography Award
Director Biography - Ananth Agastya

I took script-writing tutorials from an esteemed writer for several months. The experience in writing stories was so great that I immersed myself completely in filmmaking.

By collaborating with artists from various disciplines and backgrounds, I hope to work on all genres of film. I want to bring to light, matters that are rarely a part of our current discourse.

For my debut effort, I created a short war film, set in Iraq.

I continue to develop entertaining yet provocative projects and hope to do so for a long time.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

In the ancient Hindu Book, "The Bhagavad Gita", the warrior prince Arjuna, finds himself unable to do his duty: to fight the enemy.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, he's supposed to fight his own cousins. His own blood. He grew up alongside these cousins. He cannot bring himself to fight them in battle.

Before battle begins, he throws away his weapons and prays to God, Krishna.

Arjuna wants to understand what his duty is.

The God, Krishna, appears before him and tells him, that as a warrior, Arjuna's duty is to fight the enemy. He must fight, no matter who the enemy is, without worrying about the result.

The concept of one's duty is always a conundrum. Based on this conundrum, I created a short film about a platoon's duty in war, just before they fall: what choices do they face, and what choices do they make?

Most importantly, at what cost must they do their duty?

"The Fallen" explores the concept of "moral injury": it is mostly seen in military veterans who have witnessed or perpetrated an act in combat that transgressed their deeply held moral beliefs.

I hope you find it engaging. Thank you for your time.