RENT A FRIEND (Conditions Applied) | Award-Winning Short Film | Emotional Drama | Friendship&Healing

What if you could rent a friend when life feels unbearably lonely? RENT A FRIEND (Conditions Applied) is an award-winning independent short film that follows Isa, a young woman struggling to cope with the loss of her best friend to COVID-19. Unable to process her grief in a world that has already moved on, she turns to an unusual service called Rent a Friend, where she meets Maya, a stranger carrying emotional walls of her own. As the two women walk across the iconic bridges of New York City, their guarded conversations slowly transform into an unexpected friendship. Together, they confront grief, loneliness, vulnerability, healing, and the courage to truly connect in a world that often mistakes online connection for real companionship. Filmed in New York City, Rent A Friend (Conditions Applied) is a heartfelt story about human connection, emotional resilience, and finding hope when life feels impossible. 🎬 Directed by: Surbhi Mittal ⏱️ Runtime: 11 min 55 sec 🎭 Genre: Drama 🗣️ Language: English 🏆 Official Selections & Awards • Winner, Honorary Jury Mention – Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival • Winner, Producer's Choice Award – Show Low International Film Festival (Arizona) • Winner, Best Short Film (9–12 min) – Show Low International Film Festival • Official Selection – International Filmmaker Festival of New York • Official Selection – Los Angeles Independent Film Festival • Official Selection – DC South Asian International Film Festival • Official Selection – Central Florida Film Festival • Official Selection – Pune Short Film Festival • Official Selection – Goa Short Film Festival • Official Selection – International Kolkata Short Film Festival • Official Selection – Oregon Short Film Festival ❤️ If this story moved you, please: 👍 Like the film 💬 Share your thoughts in the comments 📤 Share it with someone who values meaningful cinema 🔔 Subscribe for more independent films and original storytelling Follow the Film & Filmmakers on instagram Director:   / beyondthelifeiknow   Film:   / rent_a_friend_film   #ShortFilm #AwardWinningShortFilm #IndependentFilm #IndieFilm #Drama #Friendship #Grief #Loneliness #MentalHealth #Healing #EmotionalFilm #HumanConnection #NewYork #NYCFilm #FemaleFriendship #Cinematic #FestivalFilm #NarrativeFilm #EmotionalStory #Filmmaking #Director #WomenFilmmakers #IndependentCinema #FilmFestival #CovidStories Keywords: award-winning short film, independent short film, emotional short film, friendship film, grief short film, loneliness, healing, human connection, COVID grief, female friendship, New York City short film, indie drama, narrative short film, festival short film, cinematic storytelling, emotional drama, award-winning filmmaker, Surbhi Mittal, Rent A Friend, Rent A Friend Conditions Applied.