FTII’s student Kannada film ‘Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know’ qualifies for Oscars 2025

MUMBAI: A Kannada short film, titled ‘Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know’, will now compete for the Oscar trophy in 2025.

On Monday, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting announced that ‘Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know’ has qualified for the Oscars 2025 in the Live Action Short Film category. The film was produced by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Chidananda S Naik is director of the film.

“Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know”, an FTII student film, OFFICIALLY QUALIFIES for the 2025 Oscars in the Live Action Short Film Category!

The film’s poignant & profound narrative is centered on an elderly woman who steals the village rooster

(1/3)#FTII #Oscars #LaCinef pic.twitter.com/YNRdV6KwRg

— FTII (@FTIIOfficial) November 4, 2024

Earlier this year, the film won the first prize at the Cannes Film Festival’s La Cinef Selection, which led to global recognition for this Kannada language project inspired by Indian folk stories and traditions.

It showcases the expertise of a talented team, including Suraj Thakur (cinematography), Manoj V (editing) and Abhishek Kadam (sound design). “It revolves around an elderly woman who steals the village rooster, leading to a cessation of sunlight and resulting in turmoil within the community. In an effort to restore order, a prophecy is invoked, resulting in the exile of the woman’s family as they undertake a desperate mission to retrieve the rooster”.

The La Cinef Jury at Cannes had commended the film for its illuminating storytelling and masterful direction, stating, “Une illumination qui, du fond de la nuit, brille par son humour et le sens de la mise en scene, le premier prix est attribue a Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know de Chidananda S. Naik” (“An illumination that, from the depths of the night, shines with humor and a keen sense of direction, the first prize is awarded to ‘Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know’ by Chidananda S Naik.”)

Film director Chidananda S Naik remarked, “I have aspired to tell this story for as long as I can remember. Our goal was to recreate the experience of not merely hearing these stories but of genuinely living them–an experience I hope resonates with audiences around the globe”.

The 97th Academy Awards will take place in March 2025. (ANI)