After making history at the Venice Film Festival, filmmaker Anuparna Roy is bringing her internationally acclaimed Songs of Forgotten Trees home. The film, which earned Anuparna the Orizzonti Award for Best Director at the 82nd Venice Film Festival in September, is now set to close the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) 2025, scheduled from October 30 to November 2.

The film’s inclusion marks a full-circle moment for the director, who expressed her excitement about finally presenting her work to an Indian audience. “Our film has been seen by the global audience in the last couple of months, but it gives me immense joy to bring it home,” said Anuparna.

“A homecoming written in the mountains”

Speaking about the DIFF premiere, the filmmaker described the festival as a deeply personal venue for the film’s India debut. “To have its India premiere at the Dharamshala International Film Festival — a festival that celebrates cinema with heart, thought, and soul — feels deeply personal,” she shared. “Dharamshala’s mountains, its silences, its spirit… they echo so much of what this film stands for. I couldn’t have imagined a more fitting homecoming to close our journey.”

Her words resonate with the spirit of Songs of Forgotten Trees, a film that blends lyrical storytelling with themes of memory, identity, and survival.

From Venice to Dharamshala: A remarkable journey

Following its landmark win at Venice — where it was the only Indian film selected in the Orizzonti competition section — Songs of Forgotten Trees went on to captivate audiences at several prestigious festivals. It was screened at the BFI London Film Festival, the Cork International Film Festival, and the Indian Film Festival of Sydney (IFFS), earning praise for its delicate yet powerful portrayal of urban womanhood and emotional resilience.

The film is produced by Bibhanshu Rai, Romil Modi, and Ranjan Singh, with Anuparna Roy and Navin Shettyserving as co-producers.

About the film

Set in Mumbai, Songs of Forgotten Trees follows the intertwined lives of two women navigating the complexities of survival and selfhood in the metropolis. The story centers on Thooya, a migrant and aspiring actor, who survives the harshness of the city using her beauty, wit, and at times, intimacy as currency. As her journey unfolds, her path crosses with another woman, setting in motion a quiet, haunting exploration of connection, memory, and longing.

The film stars Naaz Shaikh and Sumi Baghel in leading roles, both of whom have been praised for their grounded and emotionally layered performances.

A cinematic ode to silence and resilience

Critics have described Songs of Forgotten Trees as a “poetic meditation on womanhood and survival in urban India.” Its visual language — steeped in stillness, silence, and metaphor — draws deeply from nature and introspection, making it an ideal match for the contemplative atmosphere of DIFF.

For Anuparna Roy, the Dharamshala premiere is more than just another screening — it’s the culmination of a deeply personal creative journey. As she put it, “This is not just a screening; it’s a return to where the story’s spirit belongs.”