Paper Flowers (2026): movie guide

What is Paper Flowers about?

Based on a true story, USC graduate Shalin Shah leaves behind the expectations of his Indian-American family and his girlfriend Fiona to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru. But when a persistent cough leads to a devastating diagnosis of synovial sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer, Shalin is forced to return home and confront a future he never anticipated. Surrounded by his family, Fiona, and his closest friends, he begins to reconsider what it means to live with purpose when time can no longer be taken for granted. As Shalin’s perspective deepens, his reflections on gratitude, love, and mortality inspire the essay “Thank You, Cancer,” which is published by HuffPost and goes viral with readers around the world. A devastatingly beautiful story of family, resilience, and the lasting impact of one life, Paper Flowers is a reminder to cherish the people we love and the moments that give life meaning. #SunsetsForShalin

Cast highlights

Paper Flowers features Kapil Talwalkar, Olivia Liang, Karan Soni, Tom Everett Scott, Faran Tahir, Meera Simhan. Open the Cinema Box title page for the full cast list and character credits.

Key facts

Release date: 2026-08-21. Runtime: 100 minutes. Genres: Drama, Family. Original language: en. Status: Released.

Discover Paper Flowers on Cinema Box

Cinema Box is a movie and TV discovery app for Android. Use it to browse Paper Flowers, watch official trailers when available, save titles to your list, and plan what to watch — without hosting or streaming full films.

Frequently asked questions

What genre is Paper Flowers?

Paper Flowers is listed as Drama, Family on TMDB.

How long is Paper Flowers?

Paper Flowers runs about 100 minutes.

Who stars in Paper Flowers?

Cast highlights include Kapil Talwalkar, Olivia Liang, Karan Soni, Tom Everett Scott, Faran Tahir, Meera Simhan.