Sunflower Girl, Short - 2023

Writer/Director/Producer for Narrative Short Film sponsored by Netflix

Currently in 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
Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja as Rosie
Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja as Rosie
Cairo Zion as Skylar
Cairo Zion as Skylar

Cairo Zion with Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja - Photos: Luna Cristales

WINNER of PANO Network's Microgrant 2023

Festivals
1. Uppsala Short Film Festival - Sweden, 2023*

*Oscar-Qualifying

Poster by Jee Kim

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)

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