Oscar® qualifying Sunflower: A story of resilience in a war-torn country

Mateusz Balcerek’s Oscar® qualifying Sunflower is a story of resilience in a war-torn country

Los Angeles, CA (September 11, 2024). The film is inspired by the true story of Danuta Górecka. Who is the director’s grandmother. Mateusz Balcerek’s incredible Sunflower tells a gripping and inspirational tale. A story of a family’s perseverance in the face of unspeakable violence. The film is set in 1944 inside a country that is ravaged by world war. This beautiful short film 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®.

Logline: 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.

Director Mateusz Balcerek, (a Forbes 30 Under 30 lister) blends 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 is originally from a small town in Western Turkey. He is a creative producer who makes Los Angeles his base. 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 is on showcase 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, the UK, and the US—came together for Sunflower with a deep connection to the story and a shared commitment to highlight stories from the past that continue to resonate today. 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 is a craft of the award-winning Formosa Group, with the expertise of sound engineers Bobbi Banks and Greg Hedgepath.

This moving short has qualified for the 2025 Oscars®.

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