FTII’s Kannada short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know qualifies for Oscars 2025
Bengaluru: The Kannada short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know, directed by Chidananda S. Naik, has officially qualified for the 2025 Academy Awards, announced the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday. The film has earned a spot in the Live Action Short Film category.
The film was produced by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Earlier this year, Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know won the first prize at the Cannes Film Festival’s La Cinef Selection, a platform for emerging filmmakers. The La Cinef Jury at Cannes lauded the film for its exceptional storytelling and direction, with the jury describing it as "an illumination that, from the depths of the night, shines with humour and a keen sense of direction."
Film director Naik stated, “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 15-minute film is based on Kannada folk tale about an old woman who steals the village rooster, leading to a cessation of sunlight and resulting in turmoil within the community. In an effort to restore order, a prophecy is invoked, resulting in the exile of the woman’s family as they undertake a desperate mission to retrieve the rooster.
The film’s team includes Suraj Thakur as the cinematographer, Manoj V. as the editor and Abhishek Kadam for sound design.
The 97th Academy Awards will take place in March 2025.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Police lodge 32 FIRs for phones stolen during Diljeet Dosanjh's concert in Jaipur
Jaipur (PTI): Thirty-two FIRs were registered in connection to cases of stolen mobile phones during singer Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in Jaipur, police said on Tuesday.
Station House Officer (SHO) Nandlal said the victims filed FIRs at Sanganer Sadar Police Station on Sunday and Monday. "The mobile phones are being tracked,” he added.
Some fans even made a video and requested the singer to help them.
Dosanjh’s show, part of the ‘Dil-Luminati India Tour 2024,’ was held at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Center (JECC) in Sitapura on Sunday.
