Venice Film Festival 2025 saw history being made as Anuparna Roy Best Director win brought pride to Indian cinema. The filmmaker received the top honour in the Orizzonti Competition for her film Songs of Forgotten Trees. The movie was presented by acclaimed filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.
This win is special because Roy’s film was the only Indian entry in the Orizzonti section. Songs of Forgotten Trees tells the story of two migrant women in Mumbai. It highlights their struggles with survival, loneliness, and brief moments of connection.
The award was announced on September 6 during the closing ceremony of the 82nd edition of the festival. French filmmaker Julia Ducournau, president of the Orizzonti jury, presented the award. Anuparna Roy, dressed in a white saree, accepted the honour with deep gratitude. She called the moment surreal and thanked the jury, her cast, her producers, and Anurag Kashyap for their support.
Apart from Songs of Forgotten Trees, other movies that earned praise at the Venice Film Festival 2025 included Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grazia, Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite, Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine, Mona Fastvold’s The Testament of Ann Lee, and Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein. Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia and Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice were also highly appreciated.
The Anuparna Roy Best Director win is a landmark for Indian filmmakers on the global stage. It shows how Indian stories are finding a place at major international festivals.
