India, May 21 -- L ast summer, a diploma film from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, captured attention at the Cannes Film Festival. Sunflowers Were the First to Know, a Banjara sunrise folk tale directed by Chidananda S Naik, won the top prize in the festival's prestigious La Cinef competition for film schools worldwide. This year's, Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata, is in the running for the €15,000 (around Rs.14,44,755) top prize with A Doll Made Up of Clay, directed by SRFTI student Kokob Gebrehaweria Tesfay. The 24-minute film, shot in Kolkata, is the story of a Nigerian footballer sidelined by injuries while competing in a local tournament. Selected from 2,700 entries worldwide, Tesfay's film continues India's streak at Cannes La Cinef and highlights the enduring legacy of India's state-run film schools modelled on the Soviet Union's Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK), founded in 1919. FTII, established in 1960, and SRFTI, founded in 1996, have nurtured generations of filmmakers. "The FTII opens up a student's world to many kinds of cinema," says Ranabir Das, cinematographer of last year's Cannes Grand Prix winner All We Imagine As Light and an FTII alumnus. India's success at La Cinef is notable, with two wins in the past five years. In 2020, FTII student Ashmita Guha Neogi's CatDog took the top prize, followed by Naik's 2023 win. That year also saw FTII student Yudhajit Basu compete with Nehemich, which explores menstruation taboos in rural India. SRFTI too has a strong Cannes history, with earlier selections including Anirban Dutta's Tetris (2006) and Saurav Rai's Gudh (2016). Indian participation at Cannes La Cinef began in 2002 with Tridib Poddar's Khoj, which later won Best First Film at the Mumbai International Film Festival. "At SRFTI, we cultivate regional culture and storytelling," says Poddar, adding, "Our students bring stories from every corner of India - from Kashmir to Kerala, Jharkhand to Mumbai." For Tesfay, an international student, SRFTI offers creative freedom to tell stories across genres and cultures. "There are no limits on ideas," he says. Fellow student and sound recordist Soham Pal praises the campus' collaborative spirit, while cinematographer Vinod Kumar notes how films at SRFTI reflect not just characters but broader social and political realities....