Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know, an Indian film, wins first prize at Cannes Film Festival
In a major achievement for India at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, Chidananda S Naik’s film entitled Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know won the top prize in La Cinef section. Naik is a filmmaker turned doctor from Mysuru who made this movie while attending Pune’s Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Cana Naik was able to merge age-old folklore with his own sense of artistry in this Kannada folk tale based drama on an old woman that steals rooster.
This film marks the first instance when a submission by a student studying television under one year in duration has been accepted into cannes.
The second prize went to Out Of The Widow Through The Wall by Asya Segalovich from Columbia University and The Chaos She Left Behind by Nikos Kolioukos from Aristotle University Greece. Meanwhile, Bunnyhood animated film directed by Mansi Maheshwari received the third award out of all La Cinef competitors. Maheshwari, born in Meerut and having finished her studies at NIFT Delhi, created Bunnyhood as part of her course work at National Film and Television School in UK.
For its winner, Cannes will grant 15 thousand euros. Second place will receive 11 thousand two hundred and fifty euros while third place will be given seventy five hundred euros.
These films will be shown on June 3rd at Cinema du Pantheon and on June 4th at MK2 Quai de Seine.