When minister for cinema AK Balan declared Vidhu Vincent as the Best Film Director for her movie Manhole at the 47th Kerala State Film Awards on Tuesday, it was a huge recognition for woman filmmakers in the state.
On the eve of International Women's Day, Vidhu became the first woman to win the top honor at the Kerala State Film Awards, which has the proud legacy of recognizing talent.
"I am hugely excited as not only have I won the Best Director Award, but my movie has also won the Best Film Award. What more should one expect? With this, I feel my responsibility has increased as cinema is a cultural product and I have to come up with such products again," said Vincent, a journalist-turned-filmmaker.
For her debut directorial, Manhole, Vidhu focused her camera on manual scavengers, an issue that seems to have been wiped out from the mainstream media.
Some of the other woman filmmakers who have hogged headlines include veteran actress Revathy, Anjali Menon, actor-turned-filmmaker Geethu Mohandas and writer-director Sreebala Menon.
All these women have been doing pioneering work in Malayalam cinema, but none of their films have so far tasted glory at the State Film Awards.
