By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Oct. 26:  A Nepali film entitled ‘A Scarecrow’ directed by Rajesh Prasad Khatri has won the UNICEF Iris 75 award at the UNICEF Innocenti Film Festival 2021 (UIFF).

The festival, which is organized by UNICEF’s Office of Research – Innocenti, celebrates films that have skillfully captured what it means to be a child today, according to UNICEF's press release.

Taking place 21-24 October in Florence (Italy), the festival featured 38 films from 29 countries.

UIFF has introduced the Iris Award to recognize excellence in filmmaking about children and to encourage exploration of childhood all over the world as a cinematic theme. In its second edition, the response has been encouraging with a total of 1700 films submitted for consideration from 114 countries.

The honor for the best overall film at UIFF is the ‘UNICEF 75 Iris,’ created to mark UNICEF’s 75th anniversary, now being celebrated around the world. An international jury selected ‘A Scarecrow’ written and directed by self-taught Nepali filmmaker, Rajesh Prasad Khatri, for the top award. Rajesh Khatri, who is also a schoolteacher, accurately depicts the cultural barriers that often prevent young girls from gaining an education.

"Being a teacher in the remotest village, I have had the privilege to interact with a group of innocent kids where I always learn to feel the stories of each students' cold homes, broken dreams, and their tears along with my experience. Most of all, these are the stories of truth which I am hoping to advocate for their rights and share their stories to the world through the medium of Cinema," UNICEF quoted Khatri as saying.