“SUNFLOWERS WERE FIRST ONES TO KNOW” by FTII Student Selected for Cannes Film Festival
News Mania Desk / Agnibeena Ghosh/26th April 2024
Chidanand Naik, a student at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), has achieved a remarkable feat with his film “SUNFLOWERS WERE FIRST ONES TO KNOW” being selected in the ‘La Cinef’ Competitive section of the prestigious 77th Cannes Film Festival in France. Scheduled from 15th to 24th May 2024, the festival is a renowned platform that celebrates cinematic excellence and encourages emerging talents from around the world.
Naik’s film is among the 18 shorts chosen for this section, comprising 14 live-action and 4 animated films, selected from a pool of 2,263 submissions from film schools worldwide. Notably, “SUNFLOWERS WERE FIRST ONES TO KNOW” is the sole Indian entry in the ‘La Cinef’ section, highlighting the exceptional talent emerging from India’s film education sector. The Jury will award La Cinef prizes at a ceremony preceding the screening of the winning films on 23rd May at the Buñuel Theatre.
The narrative of “SUNFLOWERS WERE FIRST ONES TO KNOW” revolves around an elderly woman who creates turmoil in her village by stealing the community’s rooster. In response, a prophecy is invoked, leading to the exile of the old lady’s family in their quest to retrieve the rooster. The film explores themes of tradition, community dynamics, and the repercussions of individual actions within a close-knit society.
This milestone marks the first time that a film by a student from the 1-year Television course at FTII has been selected for the esteemed Cannes Film Festival. It reflects the institute’s commitment to nurturing talent and fostering creativity in the realm of cinema and television.
FTII’s distinctive pedagogical approach, emphasizing practical, hands-on learning, has consistently produced alumni who excel in national and international film festivals. The success of “SUNFLOWERS WERE FIRST ONES TO KNOW” underscores the effectiveness of FTII’s co-learning model and its focus on collaborative filmmaking.
The production of the film was a culmination of the TV Wing One-year program, where students from various disciplines such as Direction, Electronic Cinematography, Editing, and Sound collaborated on a single project. Chidananda S Naik directed the film, with cinematography by Suraj Thakur, editing by Manoj V, and sound design by Abhishek Kadam. This collaborative effort exemplifies the synergy and interdisciplinary approach fostered at FTII, resulting in compelling cinematic works that resonate with audiences worldwide.
As “SUNFLOWERS WERE FIRST ONES TO KNOW” prepares to make its mark on the international stage at Cannes, it symbolizes the creative prowess and innovative spirit of India’s emerging filmmakers, poised to captivate global audiences with their stories and vision.
