Oscars 2025: Kannada Short Film Sunflowers Were the First Ones To Know Qualifies For Academy Awards

"Sunflowers Were First Ones to Kw", an award-winning short film by Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) students, has qualified for 2025 Oscars in live action short film category, Pune-based school said on Monday. In May, "Sunflowers..." earned first prize under La Cinef section at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

short is directed by Chidanand S Naik and has cinematography by Suraj Thakur, editing by Maj V and sound by Abhishek Kadam. It was produced by FTII as part of students' final-year exercise, according to a release issued by Press Information Bureau. "I have aspired to tell this story for as long as I can remember. Our goal was to recreate experience of t merely hearing se stories but of genuinely living m—an experience I hope resonates with audiences around globe," Naik said in a statement.

Based on a Kannada folk tale, "Sunflowers..." presents story of an elderly woman who steals vill's rooster that throws community into disarray. To bring rooster back, a prophecy is invoked, sending old lady's family into exile, read official plotline. At Cannes 2024, film won top prize at 27th edition La Cinef segment, dedicated to showcasing film school fiction or animated films.