Tamil Film 'Mayilaa' Nominated for Prestigious NETPAC Award at Rotterdam Fest

The Tamil film "Mayilaa," directed by Semmalar Annam, has been nominated for the NETPAC Award at the 2026 International Film Festival of Rotterdam, where it recently had its world premiere. The award, presented by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema, honors outstanding Asian films for their creativity and cultural depth. The film, which portrays a young working woman's quest for dignity and independence, is presented by Pa. Ranjith and produced by Newton Cinema. The cast and crew have expressed gratitude for the recognition, and the film is scheduled for further international screenings.

Key Points: 'Mayilaa' Nominated for NETPAC Award at Rotterdam Film Festival

  • Tamil film 'Mayilaa' nominated for NETPAC Award
  • Film had its world premiere at IFFR 2026
  • Presents a young woman's journey to independence
  • Presented by filmmaker Pa. Ranjith
  • To continue international festival run
2 min read

'Mayilaa' nominated for NETPAC Award at Rotterdam Film Fest

Director Semmalar Annam's Tamil film 'Mayilaa' earns a NETPAC Award nomination at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam 2026.

"This NETPAC nomination is a meaningful recognition for our entire team. - Semmalar Annam"

Chennai, Feb 10

Director Semmalar Annam's Tamil film 'Mayilaa' has now been nominated for the NETPAC Award at the 2026 International Film Festival of Rotterdam, where the film had its world premiere earlier this month.

The NETPAC Award, presented by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema, recognizes outstanding Asian films that reflect creativity, cultural depth, and cinematic excellence.

It may be recalled that the film, which presents an intimate and grounded portrayal of a young working woman's journey towards dignity and independence, received strong appreciation from festival audiences at its Rotterdam screening.

The nomination marks an important milestone in the film's international festival journey.

For the unaware, 'Mayilaa' is presented by filmmaker Pa. Ranjith and produced by Newton Cinema, founded by Anto Chittilappally.

The film stars P. Melody Dorcas in the lead role, with V. Shudar Kodi playing a central supporting character.

The technical crew includes cinematographer Vinoth Janakiraman, editor A. Sreekar Prasad, music composer Nandhan Kalaivanan, sound designer Anand Krishnamoorthi, and sync sound recordist Amrith Shankar.

Reacting to the nomination, director Semmalar Annam said, "This NETPAC nomination is a meaningful recognition for our entire team. We made 'Mayilaa' with deep care and honesty, and it is encouraging to see the film being acknowledged at IFFR."

Anto Chittilappally, founder of Newton Cinema, said, "From the world premiere at Rotterdam to this nomination, the journey of 'Mayilaa' has been very rewarding. It is a proud moment for us and for everyone who worked on the film."

Filmmaker Pa. Ranjith, who presents the film, said, "Mayilaa is a socially rooted and emotionally sincere film. It is important that such voices reach international platforms, and this nomination is well deserved."

In a joint note, the cast and crew shared, "We are grateful and encouraged by the NETPAC nomination. The response at the world premiere and this recognition mean a lot to all of us."

Mayilaa is to continue its festival run with further international screenings in the coming months, say sources close to the unit.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
This is fantastic news for Indian cinema. NETPAC is a prestigious award. The fact that it's a film presented by Pa. Ranjith and has such a strong technical crew gives me high hopes. Hope this opens doors for more regional films on the global stage.
R
Rohit P
While I'm happy for the nomination, I do hope the film gets a proper theatrical release in India too. Often these festival-favorite films are hard for the common audience to access. Fingers crossed it comes to theatres near me soon.
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows world cinema, it's always exciting to see stories from different cultures get their due. "An intimate and grounded portrayal" is exactly the kind of filmmaking that needs more spotlight. Congratulations to the team!
V
Vikram M
Great to see a film with a female lead and a focus on dignity and independence getting recognition. Our cinema needs more such stories. The crew list is impressive – Sreekar Prasad as editor and Anand Krishnamoorthi on sound is a solid combo. All the best for the award!
K
Karthik V
P. Melody Dorcas in the lead! She's a wonderful performer. And a film being "socially rooted and emotionally sincere," as Pa. Ranjith says, is what we need. This nomination is well-deserved. Hope it wins! 🙏

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