IFFK to honour Canadian filmmaker Kelly Fyffe-Marshall with Spirit of Cinema award

The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) will honor Canadian filmmaker Kelly Fyffe-Marshall with the ‘Soul of Cinema’ award. The award started to be given in 2021 to honor female filmmakers who bring their passion for cinema to the fore even in the most difficult conditions and use the media as a weapon of struggle against injustices in society.

Kelly Fyffe-Marshall is known for her films that challenge racial prejudice against Black communities. He won the Changemaker Award for the first time at the Toronto International Film Festival with his short film. Black Bodies (2020), debut Heaven (2018) also focused on Black lived experiences. He is the co-founder of Make Ripples, a nonprofit organization dedicated to accessible activism, racial justice, and strengthening communities through storytelling.

Also active in television and advertising, campaign film Black Height Map has gained many international recognitions. His short film in 2025 demons It was selected for the official program of the Toronto International Film Festival. Kelly’s films challenge perceptions of Black communities while celebrating love, resilience, and the Caribbean diaspora.

The Spirit of Cinema award was given to Kurdish director Lisa Calan for the first time. Iranian filmmaker Mahnas Mohammadi, Kenyan director Wanuri Kahiu and Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia were among the previous recipients.