Private Project

Floating Sunflowers

Sometimes, life inspires art, but sometimes…art inspires life

FLOATING SUNFLOWERS tells the story of June (Anna Chlumsky), a still-life painter, whose creative spirit has been handcuffed by the recent loss of her father. At the end of her rope, with seemingly no place left to turn for inspiration, she casts her recent imperfect paintings onto the curb like common trash.

Meanwhile, we meet Henry (Francisco Solorzano), a fiction author, who is caught in an emotional winter of his own. Unable to tap into his creative spirit, Henry’s only respite is to pay tribute to his recently deceased fiancé, by casting sunflowers adrift into a pond in Central Park: an exercise that only proves to tether him tighter to his pain.

All seems lost, when a simple twist of fate exposes Henry and June to the symbols of each others journey. Kindled by the similarities and differences of each others dilemma, they find themselves awash with new found inspiration, as they emerge from of the darkness, and – through only the contact of their creative unconscious – inspire each other to once again, embrace life.

  • Francisco Solorzano
    Director
  • Jason Furlani
    Writer
  • Francisco Solorzano
    Producer
  • Christopher Whalen
    Producer
  • Anna Chlumsky
    Key Cast
    My Girl, Veep
  • Francisco Solorzano
    Key Cast
    Love Simple
  • Lynn Cohen
    Key Cast
    Munich, Sex and The City, Hunger Games Catching Fire
  • Christopher Whalen
    Key Cast
    PS I Love You
  • Audrey Esparza
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    romance
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 19 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 24, 2013
  • Production Budget:
    5,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • WorldFest Houston
    Houston, TX
    April 12, 2014
    World Premiere
    Gold Remi Award
  • Nashville Film Festival
    Nashville, TN
    April 18, 2014
    East Coast Premiere
  • Newport Beach International Film Festival
    Newport Beach, CA
    April 24, 2014
    West Coast Premiere
  • Hollyshorts Film Festival
    Hollywood, CA
    August 20, 2014
    LA Premiere
Director Biography - Francisco Solorzano

Award winning filmmaker actor, director, writer and proud member of The Actors Studio Director's Unit led by Academy Award Winner, Estelle Parsons and acclaimed director, Daniel Talbott. Member: Actor's Studio's PDU, Barefoot Theatre Company, Actor's Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.

Most notably onstage, Francisco adapted, directed and acted in the critically acclaimed/sold-out Off-Broadway world premiere of DOG DAY AFTERNOON (Theatre Row Theatres). He is also known for his leading role in Israel Horovitz's two-act drama SINS OF THE MOTHER (alongside Ethan Hawke, Chris Cooper, Bobby Cannavale, and Michael Stuhlbarg); the sold-out, critically acclaimed GLOUCESTER BLUE written & directed by Horovitz (Gloucester Stage Co., Cherry Lane).

FILM: Leash (Jennifer Derwingson, director), Love Simple (HBO Latino Film Festival), Between Something & Nothing (Berlin Film Festival), with Barefoot Studio Pictures, THE GIRL WITH THE JACKET written and directed by Caitlin FitzGerald, award winning FLOATING SUNFLOWERS (also dir.) w/ Anna Chlumsky, Lynn Cohen & Christopher Whalen. Most recently wrote and directed AS CONSTANT AS THE NORTHERN STAR starring Lynn Cohen, Mateo Solorzano and the Barefoot Theatre Company Ensemble (Post Production & Best Screenplay Semi-Finalist at Hollyshorts Film Festival).

THEATER: Collaborated on award winning revivals, NY and World Premieres with some of the most prolific companies including: LABYRINTH THEATER COMPANY, RATTLESTICK PLAYWRIGHTS THEATER, FLORIDA STAGE, GLOUCESTER STAGE CO., ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATER, ORLANDO SHAKESPEARE THEATRE, STELLA ADLER THEATER, THEATRE ROW THEATRES and many others.

Francisco has led the Barefoot Theatre Company as Producing Artistic Director / Co-Founder for the past 17 years from Off-Off Broadway to become a critically acclaimed and award winning NYC and LA Ensemble. Produced the Benefit ROCKAWAY, collaborating with Jesse Eisenberg, Gina Gershon, John Doman, Mickey Sumner, Arjun Gupta, Jose Rivera, Frank Pugliese, Jonathan Marc Sherman and many others at the Cherry Lane Theater.

BFA in Acting: CUNY'S Brooklyn College; Recipient of the Graduate Theater Organization of Brooklyn College, CUNY's Alumnus of the Year Award. Additional Select Training: LAByrinth Theater Company; Advanced On-Camera Classes with Risa Bramon Garcia; Lyle Kessler's Acting Masterclass.

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