Sunflowers Were the First to Know, a Kannada short film, is eligible for the 2025 Oscars

In the Live Action Short Film category, Chidananda S. Naik’s Kannada short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know has earned a spot at the 2025 Oscars. Chidananda studied at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), which produced the movie.

Earlier this year, the short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know took first place in the La Cinef Selection at the Cannes Film Festival. The 16-minute Kannada project is inspired by Indian folktales and customs. Manoj V is the editor, Abhishek Kadam is the sound designer, and Suraj Thakur is the cinematographer.

The La Cinef Jury at Cannes had commended the film for its illuminating storytelling and masterful direction, stating, “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.”

Chidananda said in a press note, “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 elderly woman at the center of the short film takes the local rooster, which stops the sun from shining. The woman is banished from the village when a prophecy is used to bring peace back. The woman’s family makes a last-ditch effort to get the rooster back.

The nighttime filming of Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know transports spectators to an Indian setting. The movie has already won awards at festivals, including the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival’s Best Indian Competition title. It will now compete among the top short films in the globe.