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Filmmaker Anuparna Roy, who made her debut with Songs of Forgotten Trees, has bagged another achievement. The 11th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Sydney (IFFS) has officially elected Songs of Forgotten Trees as its closing night film, which will take place on 12th October. The film, which recently won the prestigious Orizzonti Award for Best Director at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival, is a lyrical and meditative exploration of memory, resilience, and the sacred relationship between people and nature.
Presented in Hindi, Songs of Forgotten Trees is set to have its Australian premiere at IFFS and is being touted as one of the biggest Indian international films of the year. The film stars Naaz Shaikh and Sumi Baghel in lead roles and is produced by Bibhanshu Rai, Romil Modi, and Ranjan Singh, with co-production by Navin Shetty and Roy herself. It features cinematography by Debjit Samanta, editing by Ashish Patel and music by Nishant Ramteke
Set in Mumbai, the film explores the evolving dynamic between two migrant women—Thooya, an aspiring actress navigating the city’s chaos through charm and survival instincts, and Swetha, a corporate professional who becomes her unexpected housemate. According to the official synopsis, what begins as a shared living arrangement slowly unfolds into a deeper connection shaped by empathy, vulnerability, and past traumas.
Roy said she thinks the film is a tribute to all the women who are “silenced, overlooked, or underestimated”. “This film is a tribute to every woman who’s ever been silenced, overlooked, or underestimated. May this win inspire more voices, more stories, and more power for women in cinema and beyond,” she said in a statement when she won at the Venice International Film Festival.
IFFS Director Mitu Lange expressed her delight at the selection of such a monumental film to close the festival “We could not have imagined a more perfect closing for our 11th anniversary edition. Songs of Forgotten Trees embodies everything we at IFFS stand for: cinema that moves, provokes, and heals. Anuparna Roy has created a cinematic poem that resonates universally, yet speaks deeply to our cultural roots. We are overwhelmed to have had the honour of presenting its Australian premiere.”
The 11th edition of IFFS is set to feature a vibrant line-up of films, conversations, and masterclasses celebrating the best of Indian cinema, and will conclude on an unforgettable note with Roy’s award-winning masterpiece. The festival’s finale underscored its growing reputation as a bridge between Indian filmmakers and global audiences, leaving cinephiles eagerly awaiting the next edition.
