Thiruvananthapuram: Journalist-turned-filmmaker Vidhu Vincent turned out to be an icon of woman power of Malayalam cinema at the 21st edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) as her debut film Manhole won two prestigious awards at the event.
Manhole, which portrayed the sad plight of the manual scavengers in Kerala, won the Fipresci Award for Best Malayalam Film while Vidhu won the Silver Crow Pheasant Award for best debut director.
"I dedicate this award for all the manhole workers in Kerala," an elated Vidhu said after receiving the awards.
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The international jury noted that Vidhu "expressed an everyday unnoticed social issue in a simple and important, yet a powerful visual image narrative".
'Manhole' was the first Malayalm film by a woman director to have been screened at IFFK.
The international awards were chosen by the jury headed by Israeli filmmaker Michel Khleifi. Fipresci jury was headed by Anders E Larsson.