Venice, September 7: 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. Venice Film Festival 2025: Dwayne Johnson’s ‘The Smashing Machine’ Wins Silver Lion for Best Director, Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Father Mother Sister Brother’ Receives Golden Lion Award.

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. Venice Film Festival 2025: Jason Momoa Stuns in Head-to-Toe Pink with Eye-Catching Painted Toenails at ‘In the Hand of Dante’ Premiere (View Pic).

Anuparna Roy Creates History, Wins Best Director

 

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Check out the complete list

Golden Lion

Father Mother Sister Brother, dir: Jim Jarmusch

Silver Lion Grand Jury PrizeThe Voice of Hind Rajab

Silver Lion Best DirectorBenny Safdie, The Smashing Machine

Special Jury PrizeSotte le Nuvole; dir: Gianfranco Rosi

Best ScreenplayValerie Donzelli, Gilles Marchand; A Pied d'oeuvre

Best ActorToni Servillo, La Grazia

Best ActressXin Zhilei, The Sun Rises on Un All

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actor or ActressLuna Wedler, Silent Friend

Lion of the Future - Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a Debut FilmShort Summer, dir: Nastia Korkia

HORIZONSBest FilmEn El Camino, dir: David Pablos

Best DirectorAnuparna Roy, Songs of Forgotten Trees

Special Jury PrizeLost Land, dir: Akio Fujimoto

Best ActorGiacomo Covi, A Year of School

Best ActressBenedetta Porcaroli, The Kidnapping of Arabella

Best ScreenplayAna Cristina Barragan, Hiedra

Best Short FilmWithout Kelly, dir: Lovisa Siren

VENICE CLASSICSBest Documentary On CinemaMata Hari, dirs: Joe Beshenkovsky, James A. Smith

Best Restored FilmBashu, The Little Stranger, dir: Bahram Beyzaie

VENICE IMMERSIVEGrand PrizeThe Clouds are Two Thousand Meters Up, dir: Singing Chen

Special Jury PrizeLess Than 5g of Saffron, dir: Negar Motevalymeidanshah

Achievement PrizeA Long Goodbye, dirs: Kate Voet, Victor Maes, as reported by Deadline.

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