Self-taught filmmaker Rajesh Prasad Khatri’s film ‘A Scarecrow’ has won the UNICEF Iris 75 award at the UNICEF Innocenti Film Festival 2021 (UIFF). Organised by UNICEF’s Office of Research – Innocenti, the festival celebrates films that have skillfully captured what it means to be a child today. This year’s festival took place from October 21-24 in Florence, Italy, and it featured 38 films from 29 countries. A total of 1,700 films were submitted from 114 countries for the festival.

An international jury selected Khatri’s ‘A Scarecrow’ for the top award. In the film, Khatri, a schoolteacher, accurately depicts the cultural barriers that play a big role in preventing 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," said Khatri.

UIFF has introduced the Iris Award to recognise excellence in filmmaking about children and encourage exploration of childhood worldwide as a cinematic theme.