Bhubaneswar: Odisha-born filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda's feature film Halkaa has won Grand Prix de Montreal at the International Children's Film Festival.

The four-day film fest concluded on March 11.

Halkaa is a movie about the struggle of the protagonist Pichku, a slum dweller, who faces adversities and lack of facilities. He dreams of constructing a private toilet where he would be using it without hassles. The film portrays various such aspirations, dreams and obstacles of children living in slums.

publive-image Picture Courtesy: Medha Pandya Bhatt/ Facebook

Nila Madhab Panda said it feels great to have won the award. "It has been selected at six other international film festivals and I am looking forward to its release in India around June," he added.

The movie starring Tathastu (Pichku), Ranvir Shorey (father) and Paoli Dam (mother), is a light-hearted and feel good movie, he further said. "This movie is more like a sequel to my movie I am Kalam," he added.

publive-image Picture Courtesy: Paoli Dam/ Facebook

His previous Hindi movie ‘Kadvi Hawa’, highlighting farmer's struggle against changing environmental conditions, had won special mention award at 64th National Film Awards-2016. Last year, he was also conferred with Padma Shri.