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On September 7, 2025, Bengali filmmaker Anuparna Roy made history by winning the Best Director award in the Orizzonti section at the 82nd Venice Film Festival. Her debut feature, 'Songs of Forgotten Trees', was the only Indian film among the 19 contenders in the category and tells the story of two migrant working women in Mumbai. The award was announced by Julia Ducournau, president of the Orizzonti jury.
Roy, who grew up in West Bengal's Purulia district, has previously worked on documentaries and short films, but 'Songs of Forgotten Trees' marks her first full-length narrative feature film. The Orizzonti section at the Venice Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing new trends in world cinema, making Roy's recognition a significant milestone for Indian independent filmmaking on the global stage.
The film follows Thooya, a migrant worker and aspiring actress, who secretly works part-time as a sex worker in Mumbai. She sublets her sugar daddy's flat to Swetha, a fellow migrant who works at a call center. An unexpected connection forms between them, and their seemingly separate lives slowly begin to intertwine. Amidst the maximum city's chaos, they share intimate moments, stories, and small acts of care. However, as long-buried desires and past wounds surface, their fragile bond is put to the test. What emerges is not drama, but a subtle flowering of selfhood, survival, and a strange platonic kinship between women navigating a world that rarely sees them.
Taking the stage in a saree, Roy dedicated the honour to her hometown and country, while also using the platform to call attention to the ongoing genocide in Palestine, saying, "Every child deserves peace, freedom and liberation, and Palestine is no exception."
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