India's Anuparna Roy scripts history; bags Best Director for 'Songs of Forgotten Trees' at Venice Film Festival

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.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.

Check out the complete list.Golden LionFather Mother Sister Brother, dir: Jim JarmuschSilver Lion Grand Jury PrizeThe Voice of Hind RajabSilver Lion Best DirectorBenny Safdie, The Smashing MachineSpecial Jury PrizeSotte le Nuvole; dir: Gianfranco RosiBest ScreenplayValerie Donzelli, Gilles Marchand; A Pied d'oeuvreBest ActorToni Servillo, La GraziaBest ActressXin Zhilei, The Sun Rises on Un AllMarcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actor or ActressLuna Wedler, Silent FriendLion of the Future - Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a Debut FilmShort Summer, dir: Nastia KorkiaHORIZONSBest FilmEn El Camino, dir: David PablosBest DirectorAnuparna Roy, Songs of Forgotten TreesSpecial Jury PrizeLost Land, dir: Akio FujimotoBest ActorGiacomo Covi, A Year of SchoolBest ActressBenedetta Porcaroli, The Kidnapping of ArabellaBest ScreenplayAna Cristina Barragan, HiedraBest Short FilmWithout Kelly, dir: Lovisa SirenVENICE CLASSICSBest Documentary On CinemaMata Hari, dirs: Joe Beshenkovsky, James A. SmithBest Restored FilmBashu, The Little Stranger, dir: Bahram BeyzaieVENICE IMMERSIVEGrand PrizeThe Clouds are Two Thousand Meters Up, dir: Singing ChenSpecial Jury PrizeLess Than 5g of Saffron, dir: Negar MotevalymeidanshahAchievement PrizeA Long Goodbye, dirs: Kate Voet, Victor Maes, as reported by Deadline.