Anuparna Roy
Anuparna Roy feels winning Venice Film Festival title makes her more responsible for making better movies
Indian filmmaker Anuparna Roy brought home laurels by winning the Best Director Award in the Orizzonti section at the 82nd Venice Film Festival with her debut movie 'Songs of Forgotten Trees'. She now feels the award made her more responsible in making better movies in future.
She is the first Indian director to win the award.
Born in Purulia district in West Bengal, Roy, who formerly worked as an IT professional, later rediscovered her love for movie-making.
“I remembered how Anurag (Kashyap, presenter) phrased it to me, that winning an award is not just bringing reputation, but also responsibility to the table, to make more better films, better craft, even when you are uncomfortable," she told Hindustan Times.
"I would love to dedicate this award to all the beautiful women out there, to my Purulia village (in West Bengal) where I was born and brought up. I have seen the women’s lives there. If any of them, after seeing this, can raise their voices, it would be great. It will be sufficient for me to keep myself motivated," she said, speaking about her movie.
She further said: "All these statements are making me humble. I am pretty sure there will be a lot of responsibility after this win. I cannot lie back and enjoy hearing that I have created history. Come on! I am inspired by many other- and better- women filmmakers from within and outside India."
She further said: "It’s not just me, it’s cinema which has created history again. I would love to give the award to cinema, my love for it. I am still a student of cinema, and learning will be my top most priority. It was before, it is now, and it will be in the future.”
Parents express happiness over the victory
Her parents- Brahmananda Roy and Manisha Roy- expressed their happiness over her victory.
Brahmananda Roy told India Today: "We live in a normal middle-class family. I never thought that my daughter would one day win the Best Director Award in Venice."
Her mother promised to prepare the food she loves to eat after she returns home.
"The smile on her face after receiving such a great honour is the biggest reward for us," she told the Indian news channel.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee congratulates the young director
In her X post, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee greeted the Indian director and said: "I am very happy to hear the news of our Purulia girl Anuparna Roy receiving a wonderful international award. I congratulate her, her parents, all her friends and colleagues."
আমাদের পুরুলিয়ার মেয়ে অনুপর্ণা রায়-এর অসাধারণ আন্তর্জাতিক পুরস্কার পাওয়ার খবরে আমার খুব আনন্দ হয়েছে। আমি তাঁকে, তাঁর মা-বাবাকে, তাঁর সকল বন্ধু-সহযোগীকে অভিনন্দন জানাই।
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) September 8, 2025
অনুপর্ণা বিশ্বখ্যাত ভেনিস ফিল্ম ফেস্টিভ্যালে তাঁর শাখায় শ্রেষ্ঠ পরিচালকের সম্মান পেয়েছেন, চলচ্চিত্রের…
"Anuparna has won the Best Director award in her category at the world-famous Venice Film Festival, which can practically be called a world victory in the world of cinema. No Indian director has received this award in this category before her. Her parents live in the family, their roots are in Jangalmahal, Rangamati. I think her crowning is a victory for our Bengali girls," she said.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
