Filmmaker Anuparna Roy has clinched the Best Director award at the Venice International Film Festival for her debut feature, Songs of Forgotten Trees.
The film, presented at the prestigious Orizzonti Competition section on September 1, was introduced by noted filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.
The section is known for showcasing new cinematic voices, debut features, and independent films that push the boundaries of global storytelling.
In her acceptance, Roy dedicated the honour to women whose stories often remain unheard.
“This film is a tribute to every woman who’s ever been silenced, overlooked, or underestimated. May this win inspire more voices, more stories, and more power for women in cinema and beyond,” she said in a statement.
According to the official synopsis, Songs of Forgotten Trees follows Thooya, a migrant and aspiring actress navigating Mumbai’s relentless pace through beauty, wit, and compromises.
When she sublets her sugar daddy’s upscale apartment to Swetha, a fellow migrant employed in the corporate sector, the two women—seemingly from different worlds—gradually find an unspoken bond.
As personal histories and hidden desires surface, their fragile relationship evolves into a tender exploration of survival, identity, and kinship.
The film stars Naaz Shaikh and Sumi Baghel in lead roles, alongside Bhushan Shimpi, Ravi Maan, Pritam Pilania, and Lovely Singh.
It is produced by Bibhanshu Rai, Romil Modi, and Ranjan Singh, with cinematography by Debjit Samanta, editing by Ashish Patel, and music by Nishant Ramteke.
The Venice International Film Festival concluded on Saturday.
