Who is Anuparna Roy? Purulia-born director won Best Director at Venice Film Festival
Synopsis
Anuparna Roy, a filmmaker from West Bengal’s Purulia, created history at the 82nd Venice Film Festival by winning the Best Director Award in the Orizzonti section for her debut film Song of Forgotten Trees
The 82nd Venice International Film Festival, held from August 27 to September 6 in Italy, witnessed a historic moment for Indian cinema. Out of 4,580 submissions, only 21 films made it to the main competition, while 19 were showcased in the Horizons (Orizzonti) section — a platform dedicated to bold, experimental, and independent filmmaking. Among them was Indian director Anuparna Roy’s debut feature, Song of Forgotten Trees.
Roy carved her name in history by becoming the first Indian to win the Best Director Award in the Orizzonti section. Her film, the only Indian entry in the category, stood out for its storytelling and vision. She later described the achievement as surreal, reflecting how deeply personal the win was for her.
Who is Anuparna Roy?
Anuparna Roy was born in Narayanpur, a village in West Bengal’s Purulia district. She graduated in British English Literature from Burdwan University and initially worked in corporate jobs in Delhi and Mumbai, including as an IT sales executive. However, her passion for cinema eventually took over. She trained in acting at Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares Institute and attended workshops in Mumbai before shifting her focus behind the camera.
Her filmmaking journey began in 2023 as an assistant director on the short film Run to the River. With Song of Forgotten Trees, a multilingual story of two women navigating their struggles in Mumbai, she stepped into the global spotlight with her very first feature.
Her Winning Moment
During her acceptance speech, Roy expressed gratitude to her lead actors, Naaz Shaikh and Sumi Baghel, and acknowledged Anurag Kashyap for his encouragement. She also credited her cinematographer and highlighted the remarkable contribution of 80-year-old gaffer Debjit Banerjee, whose experience added depth to the film’s visual craft.
Roy also took a stand on global issues, speaking about the sufferings in Palestine. She said every child deserves peace, freedom, and dignity, emphasizing that she felt compelled to voice this even if it might not align with every opinion in her own country.
Venice Film Festival 2025: Major Winners
Main Competition
- Golden Lion: Father Mother Sister Brother – Jim Jarmusch
- Grand Jury Prize: The Voice of Hind Rajab – Kaouther Ben Hania
- Special Jury Prize: Sotto le nuvole – Gianfranco Rosi
- Silver Lion for Best Director: Benny Safdie (The Smashing Machine)
- Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Xin Zhilei (The Sun Rises on Us All)
- Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Toni Servillo (La Grazia)
- Best Screenplay: À pied d’œuvre – Valérie Donzelli and Gilles Marchand
- Marcello Mastroianni Award: Luna Wedler (Silent Friend)
- Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Werner Herzog and Kim Novak
Orizzonti
- Best Film: En el Camino – David Pablos
- Best Director: Anuparna Roy (Song of Forgotten Trees)
- Special Jury Prize: Hara Watan – Akio Fujimoto
- Best Actress: Benedetta Porcaroli (Il Rapimento di Arabella)
- Best Actor: Giacomo Covi (Un Anno di Scuola)
- Best Screenplay: Hiedra – Ana Cristina Barragán
- Best Short Film: Without Kelly – Lovisa Sirén
Venice Spotlight
- Armani Beauty Audience Award: Calle Málaga – Maryam Touzani
- Lion of the Future
- Luigi De Laurentiis Award: Short Summer – Nastia Korkia
Venice Classics
- Best Documentary on Cinema: Mata Hari – Joe Beshenkovsky and James Smith
- Best Restored Film: Bashu, the Little Stranger – Bahram Beyzaie
Venice Immersive
- Achievement Prize: The Long Goodbye – Victor Maes and Kate Voet
- Special Jury Prize: Less Than 5gr of Saffron – Négar Motevalymeidanshah
- Grand Prize: The Clouds Are Two Thousand Meters Up – Singing Chen and Shuping Lee