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When The Sun Goes Down

Name: When The Sun Goes Down
Director: Mia Frank
Released: 2025
Duration: 19 min

Representation Score

5.5/10

Fair

2025

13+

Director

Mia Frank

Runtime

19 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Mia Frank's drama centers on a South Asian romantic relationship that emphasizes emotional vulnerability over traditional roles. By positioning a female artist as the main character and showing a male lead burdened by social expectations, the film offers a progressive view on gender and personal ability to act. The story gains strength from its cultural specificity, using names and themes of generational challenges to move beyond Western-centric romantic structures. This provides a meaningful look into the experiences of non-white protagonists. However, the film lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities or disability, focusing primarily on a traditional romantic framework without broader inclusive elements.

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Category Breakdown

Does When The Sun Goes Down have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film highlights the evolving relationship between Jyoti and Ishan, which takes unexpected turns but does not explicitly confirm non-straight relationships.

How does When The Sun Goes Down portray gender?

Fair

Jyoti emerges as the central protagonist and creative force. Ishan challenges typical masculine stereotypes by focusing on his emotional burdens and family expectations rather than toughness.

How racially and ethnically diverse is When The Sun Goes Down?

Good

The South Asian names of the main characters indicate a Desi cultural context. The story shifts away from Anglo-centric themes to highlight a non-Western cultural experience.

How does When The Sun Goes Down represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative delves into the conflict between personal desires and communal family obligations. It questions traditional hierarchies by presenting these social pressures as personal burdens.

Does When The Sun Goes Down include disability representation?

Minimal

The current storyline does not feature characters dealing with physical, neurodivergent, or mental health conditions.

Present on Screen

Highlights a non-Western, South Asian cultural perspective through its main characters.
Challenges typical masculine stereotypes by emphasizing Ishan's emotional vulnerability.
Features a female protagonist as the primary creative and narrative driver.

Limited or Absent

Does not explicitly represent LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships.
Does not include characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
Focuses mainly on a conventional romantic trajectory.

Official Synopsis

This award-winning and ISAFF-selected film follows Jyoti, a talented young artist, who reconnects with Ishan, a man burdened by family expectations. They rekindle a childhood bond that begins to evolve in unexpected ways. In a world shadowed by generational challenges, their relationship mirrors the cyclical nature of the sun.

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