The highly anticipated Tamil film ‘Mayilaa’, written and directed by Semmalar Annam and presented by acclaimed filmmaker Pa Ranjith, will have its world premiere at the 55th International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR). The festival will run from January 29 to February 8, 2026, and the film will feature in the Bright Future section, which highlights innovative and new voices in cinema.
Produced by Newton Cinema, Mayilaa is set in a small village in Tamil Nadu and tells the story of Poongodi, a woman seeking independence and self-respect. The narrative is seen through her daughter Sudar, showing the quiet resilience of women and children who face daily challenges with courage and tenderness.
Anto Chittilappilly, founder of Newton Cinema, praised Semmalar’s work, saying her direction combines emotional depth with social insight. Pa Ranjith also lauded the film for realistically portraying the lives of working women from marginalized communities. He added that actors Melodi Dorcas and V. Shudar Kodi delivered remarkable performances, bringing authenticity and nuance to their roles.
The cast includes Geetha Kailasam, Sathya Maruthani, Auto Chandran, RJ Priyanka, and Janaki Suresh. The creative team features Vinoth Janakiraman (cinematography), A. Sreekar Prasad (editing), Meenakshi Ilayaraja (background score), and Anand Krishnamoorthi (sound design).
Semmalar Annam, trained in Visual Communication and Journalism at PSG CAS, Coimbatore, has acted in several acclaimed Tamil films.
