HOLMDEL, NJ — A documentary about a Holmdel toddler who suddenly passed away in 2017 recently won its fifth award at a Massachusetts film festival.
"VIENNA: Suddenly An Angel" won the Outstanding Short Documentary Award at the Shawna Shea Memorial Film Festival in Worcester, Massachusetts on July 18.
The film follows Dr. Denise Wunderler and her husband Dr. Michael Savino after the sudden and unexplained death of their 2½-year-old daughter, Vienna Carly Savino.
Vienna's passing was categorized as Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) — a poorly understood category of death that affects seemingly healthy children from 1 – 18 years old.
In 2017, Vienna fell asleep watching TV at home in Holmdel and never woke up. Almost 9 years later, there is still no cause of death.
Determined to find answers and increase awareness, Dr. Wunderler founded Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit devoted to advocacy, education, research, and honoring Vienna's legacy.
Their story unfolds through intimate footage, emotional interviews, and medical insights — from their home to leading scientists at Boston Children's Hospital.
"We didn't want Vienna's story to end with her death," said Dr. Wunderler, who is a first-time producer of the film. "We wanted her life to ignite change, to bring awareness to SUDC, and to help other families avoid the pain we now cope with every day."
Directed by Marko Albrecht, "VIENNA: Suddenly an Angel" aims to capture the spirit of a local (Holmdel) and global community rallying around the Wunderler/Savino's, and a family choosing to transform tragic loss into purpose and global action.
The film won the highly-regarded Audience Award for Best Short Documentary at the Long Island International Film Expo (New York), the New Hope Film Festival (Pennsylvania), and more recently, at the Monmouth Film Festival.
It also won Best Homegrown Short Documentary at the Garden State Film Festival (New Jersey) at its world premiere last year.
The documentary is an official selection of the Chelsea Film Festival (NYC), Indie Short Film Festival (Virginia), and the Love and Hope International Film Festival in Barcelona, Spain, for its international premiere as it continues its festival run.
To learn more, you can visit the Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness website.
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