This win opens new doors, raises expectations, says Chidananda S Naik

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This win opens new doors, raises expectations, says Chidananda S Naik

Kannada short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know, bagged Best Script in the Non-Feature Film category. Directed by Mysuru-born filmmaker Chidananda S Naik and produced as part of his year-end exercise at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), the folk tale adaptation first garnered global attention at Cannes 2024.

“This win will make access to the right rooms smoother,” the filmmaker tells Bangalore Times. “Recognition makes people take you seriously. Of course, expectations are higher too—but that’s a good kind of pressure.” He tells us that the win came as a surprise. “I was working on my next film when someone messaged ‘Congratulations on the National Award!’ I wasn’t even aware the announcements were happening. It was a very different kind of joy. Quiet. Grounded. I’m happy for the boy who began this journey so long ago.

If I could go back in time and tell him this, he wouldn’t believe it.

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