FTII student's film 'Sunflowers were the First...' earns Cannes selection
Sunflowers were the First Ones to Know, a film produced by students from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), has been selected for the La Cinef Competitive section of the 77th Cannes Film Festival. The announcement was made on Tuesday by festival organizers. Directed by FTII student Chidanand Naik, this film is the only Indian entry in this segment, competing against 17 other short films chosen from an impressive 2,263 global submissions.
Naik's film marks a significant milestone
La Cinef, a specialized segment at Cannes, is dedicated to showcasing films from global film schools. It aims to promote emerging talent in the film industry. The jury will present La Cinef awards at a ceremony preceding the screening of winning films on May 23 in the Bunuel Theatre. Naik's film marks a significant milestone as it's the first student film from FTII's Television course to be selected for Cannes since its inception, reportedly.
Here's the official announcement
Film is a collaborative project by four students
Per reports, Sunflowers were the First Ones to Know tells the story of an elderly woman who steals her village's rooster, causing community chaos. To retrieve the rooster, a prophecy is invoked leading to her family's exile. The film is a collaborative project by four students: Naik is the director, Suraj Thakur has handled the cinematography, Manoj V oversaw editing, and Abhishek Kadam is in charge of sound.
Competition features entries from various countries
The competition features entries from various countries including Lebanon, China, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Palestine, the Czech Republic, South Korea, Australia, Israel, the US, the UK, and France. The jury for the awards comprises Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar, Paolo Moretti, Claudine Nougaret, Vladimir Perisic, and Belgian actor Lubna Azabal. To note, the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to take place from May 14 to 25.
Meanwhile, FTII alumna's debut feature to compete at Cannes
FTII recently came into the spotlight following the news that its alumna, Payal Kapadia, will have her debut feature film, All We Imagine as Light, competing at Cannes. Kapadia's achievement marks a historic moment, as she became the first Indian filmmaker in over 30 years to feature in the main competition at Cannes since 1994. Previously, Kapadia won the Golden Eye award for best documentary at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival with A Night of Knowing Nothing.
