Anuparna Roy wins Best Director at Venice Film Festival for 'Songs of Forgotten Trees'

Story by ANI | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 07-09-2025

Anuparna Roy with her award

Venice (Italy)

Filmmaker Anuparna Roy created history at the 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival, winning the Best Director in the Orizzonti Competition for her film 'Songs of Forgotten Trees'.

Presented by Anurag Kashyap, Anuparna Roy's 'Songs of Forgotten Trees' became the only Indian title in Venice's Orizzonti section. It revolves around two migrant women in Mumbai as they navigate loneliness, survival, and fleeting moments of connection.

The award was announced by French filmmaker Julia Ducournau, president of the Orizzonti jury, during the festival's closing ceremony on Saturday. Roy, dressed in a white saree, accepted the honour and called the moment "surreal," thanking the jury, her producers, her cast, and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.

Other Competition titles receiving high praise included fest opener, La Grazia (Mubi) from Paolo Sorrentino and starring longtime collaborator Toni Servillo; Kathryn Bigelow's return with ensemble pic A House of Dynamite (Netflix); Dwayne Johnson/Emily Blunt-starrer The Smashing Machine (A24) from Benny Safdie; Mona Fastvold's The Testament of Ann Lee, starring Amanda Seyfried; Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein (Netflix) led by Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi; Yorgos Lanthimos' Bugonia (Focus) with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons; Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice, among others as reported by Deadline.

Check out the complete list.

Golden Lion

Father Mother Sister Brother, dir: Jim Jarmusch

Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Silver Lion Best Director

Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine

Special Jury Prize

Sotte le Nuvole; dir: Gianfranco Rosi

Best Screenplay

Valerie Donzelli, Gilles Marchand; A Pied d'oeuvre

Best Actor