New Delhi, Sept. 7 -- Anuparna Roy has made history at the prestigious Venice Film Festival by becoming the first Indian filmmaker to win the Best Director award in the Orizzonti competition.

Her debut feature, 'Songs of Forgotten Trees', premiered to a full house and received a warm reception from both audiences and critics.

The film, which follows the lives of two female roommates in Mumbai - Thooya (played by Naaz Shaikh) and Swetha (Sumi Baghel) - is a deeply personal and reflective narrative. Roy draws from her own memories, lived experiences, and keen observations of women navigating urban life, friendship, and quiet resistance.

The award was announced by Palme d'Or-winning filmmaker Julia Ducournau, who headed the Orizzonti jury...