Indian filmmaker Anuparna Roy made history at the 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival, winning the Best Director award in the prestigious Orizzonti section. Taking the stage in a graceful white saree, the director described the moment as “surreal” and unforgettable.
French filmmaker Julia Ducournau (Raw, Titane), who served as the president of the Orizzonti jury, announced Anuparna as the winner. While receiving the award, Anuparna thanked the festival, the jury, and the audience for embracing her film Songs of Forgotten Trees.
In her heartfelt acceptance speech, she said, “This moment is surreal. I am standing here at a great festival like Venice… I want to thank the jury, the audience, and the director of the festival. I also want to thank my producer who supported a film that didn’t fit into stereotypical boxes. Anurag [Kashyap] believed in the film from the very beginning. To my incredible cast — the beautiful Naaz Shaikh and Sumi Baghel — this award is yours.”
She went on to dedicate the award to her hometown and her country, while also acknowledging the efforts of her crew: “I want to thank Celluloid Films for believing in the project, my DoP, and our 80-year-old gaffer Debjit Banerjee — every one of you was amazing.”
Anuparna also used the stage to address a larger concern: “I want to take a moment and talk about something bigger, something disastrous that is happening in Palestine. Every child deserves peace, freedom, and liberation, and Palestine is no exception. This is our responsibility to reflect on, even if it upsets my country — it doesn’t matter to me anymore. Thank you so much!”
About the Film
Songs of Forgotten Trees tells the story of the evolving relationship between two migrant women in Mumbai. The film was showcased in the Orizzonti section, which focuses on emerging trends, debut works, indie films, and underrepresented voices in cinema.
Starring Naaz Shaikh and Sumi Baghel, the film is produced by Bibhanshu Rai, Romil Modi, and Ranjan Singh, with Anurag Kashyap backing the project as a presenter.
