Currently in the festival circuit.
2023 | 14 min | USA | English, Cantonese | English Subtitles [CC]
When a 13-year-old Chinese-American girl has the opportunity to go skateboarding with her crush, it comes at the cost of abandoning her little sister.
Starring
Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja (AFTER YANG)
Cairo Zion (AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR JR.)
Abigail Lopez, Daniel Girdo, Fanny Lawren
Written & Directed by Holly M. Kaplan
Produced by Seika Paradeis, Holly M. Kaplan
Executive Producer NALIP
Sponsored by Netflix
Director of Photography - Michael Cong
Editor - Hailey Choi
Production Design - Mischelle Moy
Composer - Kristine Bernabe
Sound Design - Delu Duan
Costumes - Dan Wang
Casting/Associate Producer - Sunny Chen
WINNER of PANO Network's Microgrant 2023
Festivals
*Oscar-Qualifying
1. Uppsala Short Film Festival - Sweden, 2023*
2. Vancouver Asian Film Festival - Canada, 2023
3. Chicago International Children's Film Festival - USA, 2023*
4. MINT Chinese Film Festival - UK, 2024
5. DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon - USA, 2024
6. REGARD - Saguenay International Short Film Festival - Canada, 2024*
7. Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth - Canada, 2024
8. Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth - India, 2024
9. Big Eyes, Big Minds - Singapore International Children's Film Festival - Singapore, 2024
10. KINOLUB International Film Festival for Children and Youth - Poland, 2024
11. Oakville Festivals of Film and Art - Canada, 2024
12. Sunrise Film Festival; Nominated: Best International Short - UK, 2024
13. Asian American International Film Festival - USA, 2024
14. Sidewalk Film Festival - USA, 2024
15. FICPBA - International Film Festival of The Province of Buenos Aires - Argentina, 2024
16. Seoul International Children's Film Festival - South Korea, 2024
17. Odyssey Film Festival - UK, 2024
18. Cinemira Film Festival for Children & Youth - Hungary, 2024
19. Hobnobben Film Festival - USA, 2024
20. Tacoma Film Festival; Nominated: Best Short Film - USA, 2024
21. Buffalo International Film Festival - USA, 2024
22. Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest - USA, 2024
23. Woodstock Film Festival; Nominated: Mark Braunstein Award for Best Narrative Short - USA, 2024*
24. Reel Sisters of The Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series - USA, 2024*
25. Hof International Film Festival - Germany, 2024
26. Galway Film Fleadh: Generation Fleadh - Ireland, 2024*
27. CineMagic Film Festival - UK, 2024
Reviews
"The entire film flows as gracefully as a sunflower, with Rosie's radiant beauty and natural performances captivating the viewer's attention. Her interactions with her mother and sister exude warmth, despite occasional misunderstandings and conflicts, consistently portraying the nurturing environment of a Chinese household. Rosie's interactions with an American boy offer glimpses into the situation of Chinese-Americans in the United States. Additionally, what's remarkable is that the director only subtly touches upon this aspect, maintaining the film's lively and carefree teenage style while demonstrating a sense of reason and restraint." - (Yiting Lu; MINT CHINESE FILM FESTIVAL Programmer)
"With intimate hand-held camera work and nuanced performances from the lead actors, Kaplan tells an emotionally resonant coming-of-age story perfect for fans of The Florida Project. The film is vibrant and inventive, whilst always being entrenched in the world of a teenager." - (REBYS J HYNES; UK Reviewer)
"Despite the sorrowful undertones of the message, Kaplan manages to transmit through Sunflower Girl a very positive and upbeat message of hope. The narrative doesn’t dwell on the sadness, but rather on the adventure of finding your place in the world and discovering who you are, who you want to be. [..] one of the best you can watch when you are having a bad day." - (CUT TO THE TAKE)
"A very well directed debut from Holly M. Kaplan, complimented by Zhejian Michael Cong’s cinematography and Hailey Choi’s editing, and the use of the score from Kristine Bernabe is very soothing. To highlight from the performances, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja really stands out in the lead role as Kui/Rosie, she has a captivating presence on screen." - (IRISHCINEPHILE)
"The young promise Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja ('After Yang', 2021) is in charge of narrating this story that in a fresh way makes us stop our day to focus our attention on what could well be the day of any young person who seeks to find a place to belong outside the family home. [..] In just a few minutes, young love, teenage defiance, guilt, sisterhood and the search for identity are synthesized. We could live in the world of 'Sunflower Girl'. [..] Its photography produces a nostalgia and a strange mix of nineties sensations that make us feel at home and recognize its environments as our own, despite never having traveled through them. Holly M. Kaplan moves us with the untold and yet to come story of Kui, whom you will always hold in your heart when you finish the short film." - (MAGAZINEMA)
"Sunflower Girl - Review (8/10)" - FILM THREAT
"Holly M. Kaplan Reflects on the Bittersweetness of Youth in 'Sunflower Girl' (2023)" - THE UNIVERSAL ASIAN
"Asian American short films to watch at the 2023 Vancouver Asian Film Festival" - Cold Tea Collective
"10 Asian short films you shouldn’t miss at the 42nd Uppsala Short Film Festival" - Asian Film Festivals