Check out the official release below!
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The Emmy-winning filmmaker Hemal Trivedi, behind the Academy Award®-winning Saving Face, has joined Mateusz Balcerek’s OSCAR®-qualifying short film Sunflower as Executive Producer.
Inspired by the true story of Danuta Górecka, the director’s grandmother, Mateusz Balcerek’s incredible SUNFLOWER tells a gripping and inspirational story of a family’s perseverance in the face of unspeakable violence. Set in 1944 in a country ravaged by war, this beautiful short captures the vulnerability of a child lost in the violence of war and the beauty that exists in the smallest things — such as a sunflower, which symbolized not just survival but acted as a thread that tied her back to her loved ones. The film has qualified for the 2025 Oscars®.
In a war-torn country, young Danuta and her family play a dangerous game of hide-and-seek with soldiers. Amidst the chaos, Danuta finds comfort and hope in a sunflower that connects her back with her loved ones.
Hemal Trivedi is an internationally celebrated filmmaker for 20 years. Her work has won one Oscar, three Emmys, one Peabody and seven Emmy nominations, a nomination for MTV Movie Awards, nominations for Independent Spirits Awards and Cinema Eye Award. She has won over 30 other prestigious awards and honors. Her work has been showcased in film festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, IDFA, Full Frame and AFI and venues including the United Nations and US Department of State. Her work has been broadcast on Netflix, HBO, PBS (Frontline and Independent Lens), YouTube Red, Channel 4 and several other broadcast venues. She is a member of the television academy, alumni to Tribeca, Sundance, IDFA and Chicken and Egg Foundation. She has served as a speaker, panelist and judge for TEDx, Independent Film Week, the Emmys and other prestigious awarding bodies.
She shares “Sunflower took me back to the streets of Mumbai in 1992. When, as a little girl, blissfully ignorant about the world around me, I was in the midst of the worst communal riots Mumbai has ever seen. In my neighborhood, Muslim families were being hunted down by the right wing Hindu mafia. As a child I watched the homes of many Muslim families burned to the ground. Amidst this chaos, I had shielded myself in my make belief world of fairytales.
The protagonist in Sunflower reminded me of that little girl in me who continues to indulge in fairy tales and play amidst chaos and mayhem. Even after all these years, I have used every ounce of my energy to preserve and nurture that child in me – because that’s the greatest source of joy and wonder in my life.”
Director Mateusz Balcerek, a Forbes 30 Under 30 lister, is known for blending deeply personal stories with universal themes. As the Founder of Sounds Better Productions, with offices in London, Warsaw, and LA, he leads the company in producing premium content across scripted series, feature films, and unscripted shows. Balcerek’s previous work includes the Spectrum TV documentary “Cerro Gordo” (2020), along with professional experience at Norman Lear’s Act III Productions and Bob Shaye’s Unique Features. In “Sunflower”, he brings his family’s history to life, creating a cinematic experience that resonates deeply with both the heart and the conscience.
Pinar Binay, originally from a small town in Western Turkey, is a Los Angeles-based creative producer. A Film Independent Project Involve fellow on the producing track and a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts with triple minors, she produces a wide range of content from short films to TV series. Pinar’s work has been showcased at prestigious festivals worldwide, including HollyShorts, the Tokyo International Film Festival, and RiverRun. Drawing from her diverse background, Pinar aspires to find the most authentic stories in innovatively told histories.
The creative team—hailing from Poland, Italy, Turkey, the UK, and the US—came together for SUNFLOWER with a deep connection to the story and a shared commitment to highlighting stories from the past that continue to resonate today. Joining Hemal Trivedi also as EP is Yetkin Yuce. The breathtaking cinematography by Łukasz Dziedzic beautifully captures the film’s visual poignancy, while Rafał Osiński masterfully creates intricate production designs that evoke the authenticity of the era. Roberto Mengoli composed the evocative score, inspired by original war songs from 1940s Poland, and performed by the Guildhall London Symphony Orchestra and the London Music Centre Kids Choir. The exceptional sound design was crafted at award-winning Formosa Group, with the expertise of Supervising Sound Editors Bobbi Banks and Greg Hedgepath.
This moving short has qualified for the 2025 Oscars®.
