For most filmmakers, the Cannes Film Festival remains a distant dream. But for 22-year-old Karen Kshiti Suvarna, that dream arrived early.

This year, Karen attended the 79th Festival de Cannes, not as a student observer, but as a director with her debut feature, September 21, screened at the Marché du Film. Standing beside Priyanka Upendra, the young filmmaker watched audiences from across the world engage with a story rooted in Alzheimer’s disease.

Produced by Visica Films and HumaraMovie, September 21 follows a caregiver struggling to support a man living with Alzheimer’s disease, as memory loss and disorientation slowly reshape their everyday lives. The film explores the emotional toll the condition takes on both patients and families.

Now, after drawing attention on the international stage, the film is preparing for its theatrical release on May 22.

Recalling her Cannes experience, Karen says the first few days felt surreal. “I was just admiring everything around me. I wanted to watch films and understand the atmosphere. But when I finally saw our film screened there, I realised how big a deal it really was.”

What moved her most was the audience response. “Nearly twenty per cent of the people who attended the premiere told me they had someone in their family suffering from Alzheimer’s,” she says, adding, “That’s when I realised the film had connected beyond language or geography.”

Karen says she had always envisioned the project for the festival circuit. “Cannes was somewhere in my head while making the film,” she says. “At my age, I never thought I would actually make it there.” However, Karen assures that she didn't want to make the film inaccessible either. “I didn’t want to make an ‘art-art’ film or a completely commercial one,” she says. “I wanted it to be a bridge film, something engaging, but with a message.”

The story’s emotional core came from writer Rajshekar’s personal experiences, which immediately resonated with Karen. “When he told me it was his own story, I felt it had the depth for a feature film,” she says. “I wanted audiences to feel like, ‘This is my story being told on screen.”

Before directing the film, Karen visited care centers and spoke with caregivers to better understand the realities of Alzheimer’s disease for patients and their families. “It was a sensitive subject, and I wanted to handle it with maturity,” she says, adding, “People around me were unsure whether someone my age could take on a film like this. So I first had to convince myself emotionally before convincing others.”

That conviction extended to the casting, particularly Priyanka Upendra, who steps away from her glamorous screen image to play Kamala, a domestic worker. “For a first-time director, even approaching Priyanka ma’am felt huge,” Karen admits. “I honestly thought she would say no.” Instead, the actor embraced the role wholeheartedly. “She crossed boundaries for this character, and toned herself down completely, to become Kamala. In the film, you don’t see Priyanka Upendra, you only see the character.”

Karen says actor Pravin Singh Sisodia, who plays the patient, was equally moved during narration sessions. “He immediately said yes after hearing the story, and the actors treated this film like their own,” says the filmmaker.

The ensemble cast also includes Amit Behl, Sachin Dilip Patekar, Muni, Vinnie R, Anita, Ricky Rudra, Ajit Shidaye and Zarina Wahab.

Interestingly, Karen’s age became a talking point on set. “People used to say that I was the first director they had seen drinking milk on set,” she laughs. “I avoid coffee and rely on milk for energy.”

But once filming began, she says the focus stayed entirely on the work. “For me, this first film itself is a do-or-die moment.”

The film will be released in Hindi and Kannada through First Film Studios. While Cannes already marks a milestone, Karen says she is only getting started. “I always want to tell stories that resonate with people,” she says. “Even if I do something commercial in the future, relatability will always matter to me.”

Now, as September 21 prepares to meet audiences in theatres on May 22, nervousness has naturally set in. “I’ve heard reactions from crews, critics, actors, even caregivers,” Karen says. “But I’m most interested in what audiences feel. At the end of the day, the audience is the real target.”

Signing off by revealing the genre she most enjoys watching, Karen says, "I actually enjoy thrillers. I love last-minute twists. I like surprising people.