Film On Holmdel Toddler Who Suddenly Died To Premiere At Chelsea Film Festival

HOLMDEL, NJ — A documentary about a Holmdel toddler who suddenly passed away in 2017 is set to premiere at the Chelsea Film Festival in October.

On Sunday, Oct. 19, “VIENNA: Suddenly An Angel” will premiere at the 13th annual Chelsea Film Festival in New York City.

The film follows Dr. Denise Wunderler and her husband, Dr. Michael Savino, after the sudden and unexplained death of their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Vienna Carly Savino.

Following her passing, Vienna’s death was categorized as Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), a not-well-known category of death that affects seemingly healthy children from 1-18 years old.

In 2017, Vienna fell asleep while watching TV at home and never woke up. Almost eight years later, her family said there is still no cause of death.

Determined to find answers and increase awareness of SUDC, 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.

In the documentary, the family’s 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,” Dr. Wunderler said. “We wanted her life to ignite change, to bring awareness to SUDC, and to help other families avoid the pain we now carry every day.”

Directed by Marko Albrecht, “VIENNA: Suddenly An Angel,” aims to capture the spirit of a community rallying around the Wunderler/Savino’s and a family choosing to transform loss into purpose.

The film recently won the highly-regarded Audience Award for Best Short Documentary at the Long Island International Film Expo (NY) as well as at the New Hope Film Festival (PA) and won Best Homegrown Short Documentary at the Garden State Film Festival (NJ), while continuing its festival run across the U.S.

On Oct. 19, the documentary will premiere at the Chelsea Film Festival, which is celebrating 13 years of stellar lineups of premieres and was considered one of the top 10 film festivals in North America by USA Today in 2019.

Known for its international platform in the heart of NYC, the cutting-edge festival showcases impactful films with a focus on global issues, and will have 150 films from 14 countries represented for 2025.

Films will be screened at the Regal Cinemas Union Square at 850 Broadway in NYC from Oct. 15 through Oct. 19.

Screening details for “VIENNA: Suddenly An Angel” are as follows:

• Festival: Chelsea Film Festival
• Date: Sunday, Oct. 19
• Time: 11 a.m.
• Location: Regal Cinemas Union Square (850 Broadway, NYC)
• Tickets & Info: Can be found here

Previous Coverage

• Grief To Action: Film On Holmdel Girl Who Died To Premiere At Garden State Film Festival
• 'A Powerful Mission': Film On Holmdel Toddler Who Died To Premiere At NY Film Expo
• Film On Holmdel Toddler Who Suddenly Passed Away To Premiere At PA Film Festival