Chidananda S Naik is an Indian doctor-turned-filmmaker from Mysuru, Karnataka, known for his short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know.... In 2024, he won the first prize at La Cinéf, a sidebar competition for student films at the Cannes Film Festival.[1]

Early life

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Born in 1995 in Shivamogga, Karnataka, Chidananda pursued a career in medicine and completed his MBBS at Mysore Medical College.[2] He was inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Dreams during this seventh grade.[3] His experiences with patients led him to explore filmmaking. He then enrolled in a Direction course at FTII, Pune and graduated.[1][2]

Career

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Poster of Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know....

Chidananda made Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know... in four days at the end of his one-year television course in the Film and Television Institute of India. The 16-minute film is based on a Kannada folk tale.[4][5] The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and was one of 18 titles judged by a jury of five members, chaired by Belgian actress Lubna Azabal.[4]

Chidananda is first student from FTII's one-year Television course to make it to La Cinéf.[1]

Critical reception

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Director S. S. Rajamouli has praised Chidananda's work in Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know..., saying "Indian talent breaching boundaries".[6]

Filmography

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  • Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know... (2023)

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "MIFF 2024 | Chidananda S Naik: 'Medicine itself drew me towards art; while we delved into anatomy, I often pondered about emotions and feelings'". 16 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b Sampalli, Shashi (2024-06-07). "Chidananda S. Naik interview: 'My only goal is to make a good film'". thefederal.com. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  3. ^ Sudevan, Praveen (2024-05-11). "Kannada short film 'Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know' to be screened in Cannes". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  4. ^ a b "India's Chidananda S Naik wins Cannes La Cinef first prize for Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know". 24 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Indian films Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know and Bunnyhood win first and third prize at Cannes Film Festival's La Cinef". The Indian Express. 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  6. ^ "SS Rajamouli REACTS to 'Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know' winning at Cannes 2024: 'Indian talent breaching boundaries'". The Times of India. 2024-05-25. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  7. ^ "SUNFLOWERS WERE THE FIRST ONES TO KNOW..." Festival de Cannes. 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
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