Mayilaa follows the journey of a young woman married off in her adolescence as she defies societal norms to seek financial independence and rediscover her lost childhood alongside her five year old daughter.
Mayilaa follows the journey of a young woman married off in her adolescence as she defies societal norms to seek financial independence and rediscover her lost childhood alongside her five year old daughter.
Semmalar Annam
Semmalar Annam is a storyteller with a background in Visual Communication and Journalism. Her filmmaking journey began with a state-commended Master’s project, followed by training in Theatre and Direction under independent filmmaker Arunmozhi Sivaprakasam and work in street theatre. Her acclaimed short film Mudhal Mazhai (First Rain) explored bodily autonomy and feminine identity and has over one million YouTube views. Mayilaa is her feature debut, continuing her focus on emotionally resonant stories and women’s inner lives.
Producer: Anto Chittilappilly
Writer: Semmalar Annam
Cinematographer: Vinoth Janakiraman
Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad
Sound: Anand Krishnamoorthi
Music: Nandhan Kalaivan
Cast: P. Melody Dorcas, V. Shudar Kodi
International Film Festival Rotterdam 2026 – Nominated for NETPAC Award
Toulouse Indian Film Festival 2026 – Audience Award for Best Feature Film
Internationales Frauen Filmfest Dortmund+Köln 2026
Malaysia International Film Festival 2026
Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2026