Anuparna Roy’s recent Orizzonti Award at the Venice Film Festival for her debut, “Songs of Forgotten Trees,” marks a significant milestone, particularly for a woman with her background.
Roy’s emotional acceptance speech underscored the importance of the moment, as she became the first Indian director to win in a category highlighting emerging voices in independent global cinema.
This achievement is amplified by Roy’s humble origins in a remote tribal village in West Bengal’s Purulia district, a stark contrast to the opulent setting of Venice.
Bengal has a rich history of globally renowned filmmakers, including Ritwik Ghatak, Satyajit Ray, and Mrinal Sen. However, Roy, 31, diverged from this path, growing up outside Kolkata’s cultural elite and initially pursuing a conventional career path of college followed by a call-center job.
Roy explained in a Zoom interview that this was “a means to economic stability” and an escape from societal pressures to marry, but it ultimately led to something more.
While working in Delhi, selling IT software, she encountered film students, sparking a passion for cinema. Roy diligently saved her earnings for six years to self-fund her debut short film, “Run to the River.”
After relocating to Mumbai, she approached Ranjan Singh, the lead producer of “Songs of Forgotten Trees,” at a party, directly asking if he would be interested in producing a “third-world film.”
Intrigued by her boldness, Singh invited Roy to pitch her idea the next day. The meeting extended for hours, and within days, he committed to funding the project.
A devoted fan of Anurag Kashyap’s “Gangs of Wasseypur,” Roy convinced Singh to show the film to Kashyap, who subsequently endorsed it.
“Songs of Forgotten Trees,” set in Mumbai, depicts the lives of Thooya, an aspiring actress working as an escort, and Swetha, a migrant call-center employee. They share an apartment owned by Thooya’s benefactor.
Their living arrangement evolves into an intimate relationship as they navigate same-sex desire and shared experiences of marginalization in the urban landscape.
The Hollywood Reporter described the film as “an anguished portrait of what it takes for women to survive”, and a “clear-eyed, restrained, moving story” of two young women finding solace in each other.
Another review commended Roy’s exploration of urban alienation with “remarkable subtlety,” highlighting her deliberate, observational style that allows the characters’ “emotional terrain” to emerge with clarity.
Roy, who is self-taught, intentionally eschewed traditional filmmaking conventions, opting for continuous takes to authentically capture the rhythms of her characters’ lives.
The film was shot entirely in her own apartment, where the lead actresses resided during the production.
“Songs of Forgotten Trees” holds deep personal significance for Roy.
Originally conceived as a documentary, the central characters draw inspiration from the platonic yet intimate relationship between Roy’s grandmother and her stepdaughter.
Another character, Jhumpa, is based on Roy’s childhood friend, Jhuma Nath, from the Dalit community, who was married at age 12.
Roy stated, “The personal is political. Jhuma Nath’s marriage was not a personal decision. The government was encouraging Dalits to marry rather than get an education – that’s political. When I was a child, I was given rice according to my body weight, whereas the boys got books – that’s political.”
Roy cites her upbringing amidst India’s economic transformation, where marginalized communities toiled in fields and construction sites, as a continuing source of inspiration.
“There was poverty and economic instability all around me. And I resonate with the lives of these people.”
At Venice, Roy used her platform to express support for the children of Gaza, showcasing her roots and political convictions.
She commissioned a traditional handloom saree that combined Palestinian and Purulia elements.
The hand-painted saree featured Bengali motifs and the colors of the Palestinian flag on its borders.
Despite facing criticism on social media, she stands by her message.
Roy affirmed, “I am going to use my voice to talk about everything that makes us uncomfortable.”
Future projects include a sequel and potentially a prequel to “Songs of Forgotten Trees,” with scripts currently in development.
However, when asked about making a commercial film, her answer was a definitive no.
“I can’t make sugar-coated cinema. I have to make films that represent the world we live in, even if they upset people.”
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