This week's short is Manoj, an excellent 2008 mockumentary by director Zia Mohajerjasbi and comedian and writer Hari Kondabolu.

The movie is about an Indian stand-up comedian, Manoj, whose popularity is based on cheap laughs about his culture, and Manoj's main and very bitter critic is another Indian named Hari Kondabolu. The real Hari plays both characters. The short combines all of the great things about Zia's art (beautiful play of light, images rich in color, a style of editing that's rhythmic and poetic) with Hari's humor (self-critical, political, global, and smart). Enjoy!

Mohajerjasbi is an LA/SEA-based filmmaker who has shot music videos for Macklemore and Blue Scholars, and he recently completed a short film about the youth of Yesler Terrace.

Former Seattle resident Kondabolu was a writer on Totally Biased, and is receiving national attention for his recently released comedy album Waiting for 2042. He'll be performing next week at the Neptune, and he'll also host the screening of a secret guilty pleasure at the Northwest Film Forum on Thursday, March 27.