Nila Madhab Panda’s ‘Jalpari’ is going places. After winning the MIP Junior Kids Jury Award at Cannes and receiving the Audience Choice Award in Minsk International Film Festival in Belarus, the film has now been submitted as a direct entry to the Oscars.

The movie based on the various predicaments that a girl child encounters in rural India, also addresses the divide between rural and urban India. “About 17 Indian films are competing for India’s official entry in the foreign film category, but unfortunately, only one film can go. Jalpari’s original story and concept are the USP of the film. It has a blazing subject combined with powerful performances which makes it worthy of a direct entry for the Academy Awards,” said Sushil Kumar Agrawal, producer of the film.