'Sunflowers Were the First to Know' in La Cinef section at Cannes 2024 and other fascinating short films of Chidananda S Naik

The year 2024 marks a fortunate moment for Indian cinema as it has a presence at the Cannes Film Festival to talk about. Payal Kapadia’s film, “All We Imagine as Light” (2024), in Malayalam and Hindi, has the distinction of being the first Indian film selected to compete for the prestigious Palme d’Or in the past three decades—following Shaji N Karun’s “Swaham” (1994). Additionally, Sandhya Suri’s Hindi film “Santosh” (2024) vies for recognition in the Un Certain Regard section. Notably, Chidananda S Naik’s Kannada short film, “Sunflowers Were the First to Know” (2023), has been chosen to participate in the La Cinef section, which showcases and promotes films from various film schools worldwide, fostering emerging talent. The jury will present the La Cinef awards during a ceremony on May 23 at the Bunuel Theatre.

Chidananda S Naik pursued his passion for filmmaking after completing MBBS at Mysore Medical College. He studied Direction at Film and Television Institute of India Pune. The short fiction film 'Sunflowers Were the First to Know’, created as part of FTII’s year end coordinated exercise of TV- wing, runs for 15 minutes. Directed by Chidananda S Naik, the film features a talented team: Suraj Thakur (Camera), Manoj V (Editing), and Abhishek Kadam (Sound). 'Sunflowers Were the First to Know' portrays a mother’s unwavering love for her son—a love that will go any extent to protect him. She steals the village's prized rooster to shield him. This plunges the entire village into chaos as they embark on a search for the missing rooster. Revealing more risks spoilers, but the film, shot entirely at night, evokes a mysterious ambiance. While it may be loosely categorized as magic realism, Naik draws inspiration from the folk traditions of his Banjara community This captivating film breaks free from typical Indian art-house tropes, charting a fresh path.

In 'Bhule Chuke Tules’ (2023) which translates to ‘To the Forgotten’, a 12 minutes documentary in the Gorboli language, Naik explores his personal identity. As a member of the Banjara tribe - a nomadic community of traders - he visits a Banjara settlement, capturing its songs, folk tales and the tribe’s history as recounted by the elders. The film discovers beauty within the humble settlement through its captivating visuals. This documentary serves as a record of the community’s life, preserved only through oral literature passed down through generations.

Naik’s very first exercise film at FTII titled 'Trishna’ (2022) meaning ‘Longing’ hinted at his talent. This 5-minute Marathi film imaginatively delves into a young boy’s world, drawing on mythology. Madhav, an 8-year-old who has spent his days playing in his village, is sent to town for schooling. Naik skillfully avoids the common cinematic trope of portraying children as overly cute or speaking like adults. Living with his admonishing aunt and uncle, he yearns for home. This short film is very well edited with competent cuts from shot to shot. When the teacher scolds Madhav, the camera focuses solely on the boy, capturing his emotional turmoil. While the elders advise the boy against lying, the film’s mythical undertones offer an intriguing dimension.