Chidananda S Naik is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He won the Cinéfondation 1st Prize at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival for his film 'Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know...' He pursued his passion for filmmaking after studying medicine at Mysore Medical College. Cinema as an art form deeply resonated with him, inspiring him to pursue Direction at the Film and Television Institute of India.