KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 -- Malaysian film Maryam Pagi ke Malam bagged two awards at the 21st Asian Film Festival in Rome, Italy.

The film, helmed by Badrul Hisham Ismail, won the Most Original Film award while Datin Sofia Jane received the Best Actress award for portraying the titular protagonist.

Maryam Pagi ke Malam follows the story of Maryam, a 50-year-old gallery owner from an aristocratic family, who feels isolated all day, after her father (Omar Abdullah) refuses to consent for her to marry her younger foreign boyfriend from Sierra Leone.

Describing the awards as a "pleasant surprise," Badrul said he was flattered and honoured by the recognition.

"We couldn't have a wide release of the film here for obvious reasons. So, it's rea...