Bengaluru, Aug 27 (IANS): After returning from Locarno International Film Festival with two awards for his debut Kannada film "Thithi", independent filmmaker Raam Reddy was thrilled to meet Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his residence here.

The meeting was organised by the department of information and public relations on Wednesday.

Raam had a brief but warm meeting with Siddaramaiah and was felicitated by him with a shawl, a garland and a bouquet of flowers. He was congratulated for making the state proud by winning such prestigious international awards.

At the Locarno film fest, "Thithi" bagged two top honours - Pardo d'oro Cineasti Del Presente Premio Nescens and Swatch First Feature Award.

"Meeting the Chief Minister was an incredibly humbling moment - and perhaps the most encouraging moment in this journey thus far," Reddy said in a statement.

"His words of support and congratulations will remain with me as I continue my artistic pursuits; they will push me to continue to work hard, but most importantly to stay honest to my inner creativity with the same idealism with which my team and I approached the making of 'Thithi'," he said.

The film, co-written by Ere Gowda and featuring mostly non-professional actors, is about three generations of a family in rural Karnataka that assembles for the cremation rites of their patriarch.