In a post apocalyptic world, plagued by radiation poisoning and pollution, a young boy finds an atypical friendship with a lone sunflower.
Director Biography - Parker Chatham
About the filmmakers: In their first stop motion short over 10 minutes in length, Parker Chatham and Jarrod Chatham seek to visually combine the staleness of a post-apocalyptic world with the simple joys of an atypical friendship. All aspects of the film’s execution from pre-production set design and character construction, to animation, visual effects, music and editing were performed by the twin brothers. Their interest in pursuing a career in the film industry began when they completed their first undergraduate film courses at the age of 14 & 15 at UCLA. Since graduating from high school at age 16, Parker Chatham and Jarrod Chatham are now 18 and are Juniors at the University of Texas at Austin pursuing both a Bachelor of Science degree from Moody College of Communication’s Radio-Television-Film program and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art from the Fine Arts Department. Their academic accomplishments consist of a 3.98 GPA, Moody College Dean’s List and University Honors each semester. Upon graduating in May 2019 at the age of 19, Parker Chatham and Jarrod Chatham seek either to continue their studies to obtain a MFA in Film or Animation in Los Angeles or pursue a Full Time Internship at a Film or Animation Studio.
Director Statement
Being able to communicate a meaningful story is what we believe to be the power of film making. From completing our first undergraduate film course at the age of 14 at UCLA to enrolling in the Radio-Television-Film department at University Texas at Austin at the age of 16 as sophomores, we started this project 9 months ago, ambitious and enthusiastic to do our first larger scale project. As young filmmakers who are now 18, we wanted to use the medium of stop animation for our first official film to not only implement our artistic and creative vision but to cultivate a story that makes a statement of its own.
In this 11-minute short, we shed light on the concerns of the environment and the growing threat of nuclear energy and pollution of our planet. Set in world destroyed by pollution and suffocated by radiation, a boy finds a unique friend: a sunflower with human-like qualities. The usage of a sunflower in a radiated world is not coincidental. After the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, sunflowers were planted to absorb radiation from the soil and ground water. Along with these story details, we wanted this film to not only offer a warning as to our future but to represent the redemption of humanity - that humans can rediscover their attachment to nature. It is this attachment to nature that we carry with us, even in death.
Written by Dallas Fitzmartin
CHATELIN Bruno 
