An Indian short film, Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know, has made it to the 2025 Oscars in the Live Action Short Film category. The film, directed by Chidananda S Naik, follows the story of an elderly village woman who steals a rooster, causing the sun to stop shining and triggering chaos in her community. The film’s plot explores how the community reacts to the disappearance of the sun and how a prophecy leads to the woman’s family being exiled on a mission to retrieve the rooster.
This Kannada-language short, made during Naik’s time at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, has garnered significant recognition. It won the first prize at the Cannes Film Festival’s La Cinef selection earlier this year, marking a milestone for Naik and his team. Cinematography by Suraj Thakur, editing by Manoj V, and sound design by Abhishek Kadam further enhanced the film's impact.
The film’s success at international festivals, including the Best Indian Competition award at the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival, has brought global attention to India's rich storytelling traditions. The Cannes jury praised it for its “illuminating storytelling” and “masterful direction.”
Filmed entirely at night, Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know immerses viewers in the unique cultural and atmospheric setting of rural India. As the film prepares to compete for an Oscar, it will be featured in special screenings and events to promote Indian cinema’s global reach.
Naik expressed his long-held desire to tell this story, aiming to make audiences feel as though they are living the experience, not just hearing it.
