Guwahati, Sept. 6 -- Filmmaker Anuparna Roy from India made history by winning the Best Director Award at the 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival.

The talented director hailing from West Bengal's Purulia, bagged the award in the festival's Orizzonti section for her debut feature film Songs of Forgotten Trees.

French filmmaker Julia Ducournau (Raw, Titane), president of the jury of the Orizzonti section, announced Anuparna's name for the coveted award.

Annapurna described the moment as 'surreal.'

Annapurna did start her acceptance speech on a pleasant note, but later didn't mince words while expressing her anger at the Gaza mayhem.

"I want to take a moment and talk about something that is bigger, something disastrous that is happ...