After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986, Alex Babich’s parents left the USSR to come to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Alex found his footing working at an automobile factory.

 

As a boy, he learned gardening from his mother, fishing from his father, and morel mushroom hunting from his grandfather. In order to provide for his wife and children, Alex leaned into his past, and through entrepreneurship and creativity, he built a business.

 

Alex became known for growing giant sunflowers. His trellis structure quickly towered over his suburban backyard. He won the Indiana state record for tallest sunflower, then took home the national title in 2021, 2022, and 2023 with a plant measuring 25 feet, two inches.

 

In 2024, Alex decided to push the limits. Fierce storms and curious animals nearly destroyed his sixteen potential record-breaking plants. His tallest flower matured at 23 feet, 4 inches, losing the national title to a grower in New York.

 

Alex had promised his family that he would take a break from the garden whether he won or lost, but his drive for perfection proved relentless. In 2025, he logged countless hours in the garden. The work became impossible to clock out of, and it began to demand sacrifices. 

 

Alongside the constant upkeep, an undercurrent of pressure and stress grew as Alex gets closer to reaching new heights with his sunflowers.

Bloom explores the nature of obsession and the balance of priorities.

 

Will Alex achieve his dream of a world record title, or will he lose himself in an abyss of his own creation?