Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know, produced by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) student, has officially qualified for the 2025 Oscars in the Live Action Short Film category. The Kannada language film runs for 16 minutes. Inspired by traditional Indian folk tales, the film has received international recognition.

From Cannes to Oscar 

Earlier this year, Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know took home the prestigious first prize in La Cinef Selection at the Cannes Film Festival. While appreciating its creative narration, the jury praised it, noting, “An illumination that, from the depths of the night, shines with humour and a keen sense of direction, the first prize is awarded to Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know by Chidananda S Naik.”

A tale based on Indian folklore

The short film depicts the story of an elderly woman who steals the village rooster and, therefore, lets the sunlight disappear. The people use an old prophecy that will enable them to balance everything, ending in the old woman's exile from the village. Her family then seeks the rooster and brings back the light. The idea of storyline and themes of this film appeal to India's rich cultural heritage of telling stories that make it exciting for an audience to sit through and watch.

Craftmanship behind the Frame

Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know has been the product of a very successful team of artists. The film's cinematographer is Suraj Thakur. Manoj V has worked on editing the film. Abhishek Kadam has worked on the sound design. What's great is that the entire film was shot at night. This adds an element of visual mystique that raises the storyline from folklore and mystery into the real world.

Reflecting on his work, Naik said, “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.”

Beyond Cannes, Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know has also bagged Best Indian Competition at the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival. The film is now awaiting its chance to compete among the world's most recognized short films at the coming Academy Awards.

This speaks volumes about the power of cultural storytelling and the vision of emerging Indian filmmakers to bring the most deeply rooted stories to audiences around the globe.