In a groundbreaking moment for Indian cinema, Anuparna Roy, a self-taught director hailing from a remote village in West Bengal's Purulia district, clinched the Best Director award in the Orizzonti competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on Sunday. Her debut feature, “Songs of Forgotten Trees”, not only marked her as the first Indian to win this prestigious honour in the festival's Horizons section but also highlighted themes of migration, female resilience, and unspoken bonds in a rapidly urbanising world.
Roy, born and raised in Narayanpur, a small hamlet in Purulia, comes from humble beginnings that starkly contrast the glitz of international film festivals. The 35-year-old filmmaker graduated with a degree in British English Literature from Burdwan University, where she developed a passion for storytelling through poetry and prose. Before venturing into cinema, she worked in a call centre in Kolkata, juggling night shifts while honing her skills in filmmaking through online tutorials and independent projects. "Cinema wasn't a planned path; it found me," Roy shared in a post-win interview, reflecting on her transition from literature to visual narratives. Her journey underscores the rise of indie filmmakers from India's rural heartlands, breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry often centred in Mumbai or Southern Film industry.
“Songs of Forgotten Trees*, presented by acclaimed director Anurag Kashyap, is a poignant exploration of two women's lives intersecting in the bustling chaos of Mumbai. The film follows Thooya, a migrant sex worker from Assam grappling with isolation and past traumas, and Swetha, a corporate employee navigating the pressures of city life. What begins as a reluctant room-sharing arrangement evolves into a deep, unspoken friendship, as the women confront their personal demons and find solace in each other's company. Shot with a minimalist aesthetic, the movie employs long, contemplative takes to capture the quiet intimacies of daily existence, drawing from Roy's own experiences of displacement and loss.
At its core, the film is deeply personal for Roy, inspired by the memory of her childhood friend Jhuma, who disappeared from her life after an early marriage. "Jhuma was like a sister; we shared dreams under the trees in our village," Roy explained in festival discussions. The titular "forgotten trees" symbolise lost roots and fading memories, with the Hollong tree – a motif from Assam's landscapes – representing Thooya's severed ties to her homeland. Critics at Venice praised the film's tender portrayal of female solidarity, noting how it avoids melodrama to focus on subtle emotional undercurrents. The story's open-ended nature invites viewers to reflect on themes of migration, identity, and the invisible labours of women in urban India.
The award ceremony was an emotional highlight of the festival's closing night. Roy, visibly teary-eyed, ascended the stage in a striking white silk saree designed by Muskan Mittal, its borders woven in the colours of the Palestinian flag – black, white, green, and red – as a bold statement of solidarity amid global conflicts. The attire drew applause and sparked conversations about art's role in activism, with Roy later confirming it was a deliberate choice to amplify voices from war-torn regions.
In her acceptance speech, delivered with a mix of gratitude and urgency, Roy dedicated the win to "any woman who's been silenced" and to the resilient women of her homeland. "This is not just for me; it's for every beautiful woman out there, for my village in Purulia where I learned the power of stories, and for the songs that echo in forgotten places," she said, her voice breaking. Turning to broader issues, she addressed the ongoing crisis in Palestine: "Every child deserves peace, especially the children in Palestine. In a world of forgotten trees, let's not forget the human stories." The audience responded with chants of "Free Palestine" and a standing ovation, underscoring the festival's intersection of cinema and geopolitics.
Roy's triumph has been celebrated across India, with figures like Priyanka Chopra Jonas lauding her on social media for inspiring a new wave of female directors. As the only Indian film in the Orizzonti lineup, “Songs of Forgotten Trees” has secured distribution deals and is slated for a theatrical release in early 2026. For Roy, this win is a call to action: "Feminism came to me organically, through the women I've known. May this inspire more voices in cinema."
With this accolade, Anuparna Roy not only puts Purulia on the global map but also reminds the world that powerful stories can emerge from the most unexpected corners, bridging personal loss with universal empathy.
