Kannada Short Film Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know Qualifies For 2025 Oscars

Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know, a Kannada short film, qualifies for the Oscars 2025, bringing Indian folk-inspired storytelling to the global stage.

Hyderabad:Indian cinema continues to make its mark on the international stage, with the Kannada short film Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know officially qualifying for the 2025 Oscars in the Best Live Action Short Film category. Directed by Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) alumnus Chidananda S Naik, this poignant short film has already achieved acclaim on the global festival circuit, most notably by winning the prestigious La Cinef Award at the Cannes Film Festival 2024.

Produced by FTII, Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know offers a unique blend of Indian folklore and a thought-provoking narrative. The film centres around an elderly woman in a small village who steals the village rooster, preventing the dawn and creating chaos. This unusual act invokes a prophecy that leads to her exile and her family's struggle to restore harmony by retrieving the rooster. Shot exclusively at night to enhance its mystical atmosphere, the film's visual storytelling is elevated by Suraj Thakur's cinematography, Manoj V's editing, and Abhishek Kadam's music, capturing the essence of Indian landscapes and traditions.

FTII announced the film's Oscar qualification on November 4 through social media, expressing pride in the achievement. "Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know, an FTII student film, OFFICIALLY QUALIFIES for the 2025 Oscars in the Live Action Short Film Category!" FTII's post celebrated the film's "poignant and profound narrative."

Following its victory at the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF), Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know has become a symbol of India's storytelling prowess. The film will now represent India at the 97th Academy Awards, competing with the world's best short films in the Live Action Short Film category.

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