Anuparna Roy recently reached a new peak in her career. She won the Best Director award at the 82nd Venice Film Festival. Her film, ‘Songs of Forgotten Trees,’ earned her this prestigious honor. However, her acceptance speech quickly became a talking point. Comments she made about Palestine sparked a debate. Now, Roy is clearing the air.
She indeed made history with her win at the Venice Film Festival. During her emotional speech, she dedicated her award to all women everywhere. But it was her remarks on Palestine that truly grabbed headlines. She now explains her side of the story.
Roy spoke to ANI about the situation. She stood firm on her statements. “What I said at the film festival, I truly meant,” she explained. “It was meant to highlight the injustice happening everywhere.” She added that supporting Palestine and standing against injustice does not make her less connected to her roots. Roy pointed out that this isn’t her first time speaking on the issue. She mentioned Palestine when she received an award in Russia. She stressed that her stance on one issue doesn’t mean she ignores others. She would also speak about violence or massacres in places like Nepal.
Some people claimed that Roy spoke under the influence of filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. She addressed these rumors directly. “My producers, my mentor, and even Anurag Kashyap himself strongly advised me not to discuss this,” she revealed. “But I went ahead and said everything, going against their advice.” She admitted she now understands why they cautioned her. “Things are completely going against me,” she noted. “People are even calling me a traitor.” Despite this, she remains calm. “I am not angry at all,” Roy stated. “I have made one film, and I will make another.”
#WATCH | Mumbai: On winning the award for the Best Director at the 82nd Venice Film Festival for her movie ‘Songs of Forgotten Trees’, Director Anuparna Roy says, “… Whatever I said, I meant it. It was said with the intention of pointing out the injustice happening around the… pic.twitter.com/13qiYyGssW
— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2025
She asked everyone to celebrate her accomplishment. Roy urged people not to turn it into a political issue. “I am not political at all,” she confirmed. “I do not represent any political party.”
A Pioneering Win for Indian Cinema
Roy’s film ‘Songs of Forgotten Trees’ tells a compelling story. It focuses on the bond between two women in Mumbai. One is a migrant actress, the other a corporate employee. Her direction of this film earned her the Best Director award in the Orizzonti section. This makes Anuparna Roy the first Indian woman to achieve such a feat at the Venice Film Festival.