Film On Holmdel Toddler Who Suddenly Passed Away To Premiere At PA Film Festival

HOLMDEL, NJ — This summer, a documentary about a Holmdel toddler who suddenly died in 2017 will have its Pennsylvania premiere at the New Hope Film Festival in August.

The film, titled “Vienna: Suddenly An Angel,” will premiere at the festival on Sunday, Aug. 17, at 12:30 p.m.

The documentary follows Dr. Denise Wunderler and her husband, Dr. Michael Savino (both now Pennsylvania residents), after the sudden and unexplained death of their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Vienna Carly Savino, in 2017.

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

Determined to find answers and raise awareness of SUDC, Dr. Wunderler founded Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness, a nonprofit organization devoted to advocacy, research, and honoring Vienna’s legacy.

In the documentary, the family’s story unfolds through intimate footage, emotional interviews, and medical insights – ranging from their New Jersey 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” captures 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 in New York and won Best Homegrown Short Documentary at the Garden State Film Festival in New Jersey.

Now continuing its festival run across the U.S., the documentary will premiere at the New Hope Film Festival in Pennsylvania, which is known for “elevating powerful independent films and underrepresented voices.”

The film will have its PA premiere on Sunday, Aug. 17, at 12:30 p.m. at the festival in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Tickets and information on the festival can be found here.

To learn more about Vienna and her family’s mission, you can visit the Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness website.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article listed the premiere date as Saturday, Aug. 17. It has since been corrected to Sunday, Aug. 17. Patch regrets the error.

Previous Coverage

• Holmdel Family Raises Awareness Of SUDC After Toddler Girl Dies
• Bell Works Tower To Turn Pink In Honor Of Holmdel Toddler Who Died
• 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