By Kajal | Newstic.in
A Night That Broke the Script
The 82nd Venice Film Festival wrapped up with gasps, applause, and a fair share of arguments in the lobby bars.At the heart of it all was Anuparna Roy, who became the first Indian filmmaker to win Best Director in the Orizzonti section. Her film Songs of Forgotten Trees isn’t a crowd-pleaser in the usual sense. Slow and almost meditative, it drifts through forests and memories. Yet it landed like thunder in Venice. People stood, clapped, a few even cried — and suddenly, Roy’s name was etched in history.
And then came the twist few had predicted. Most believed the Gaza drama The Voice of Hind Rajab would claim the Golden Lion. It had the politics, the heartbreak, and the longest standing ovation of the festival — 23 minutes. Instead, the prize went to Jim Jarmusch for Father Mother Sister Brother, a quiet black-and-white story about family bonds. The announcement silenced the hall for a moment. Then the applause came — scattered at first, then steady.
An Indian Voice on a Global Stage
Roy, in a simple white saree, dedicated her award “to every woman who has ever been silenced, and to those who still chose to speak.” It wasn’t a grand speech, but it was the kind people remember.
Her film follows three generations of women bound to a disappearing forest. It isn’t heavy-handed, but the message lingers — about what is lost when nature, and memory, are erased.
Indian critics were quick to call the win historic. Abroad, reviewers praised her as “a strikingly original voice.” For Roy, who has long worked outside the commercial Bollywood system, it was validation that stubborn independence can still reach the world’s biggest stages.
The Golden Lion Shock
If the festival had a storyline, it was that The Voice of Hind Rajab was destined for the top prize. After all, few films in recent memory have sparked such emotion in Venice.
But the jury thought otherwise. They gave the Golden Lion to Jarmusch, one of America’s quiet masters. His film doesn’t shout. It observes. Black-and-white frames, family silences, the kind of cinema that rewards patience.
The decision divided critics. Some called it a retreat into safe choices; others argued it was a reminder that Venice values subtlety over spectacle.
Winners Beyond the Headlines
- Golden Lion (Best Film): Father Mother Sister Brother — Jim Jarmusch
- Grand Jury Prize: The Voice of Hind Rajab — Kaouther Ben Hania
- Silver Lion (Best Director, Competition): Benny Safdie — The Smashing Machine
- Volpi Cup Best Actress: Xin Zhilei — The Sun Rises on Us All
- Volpi Cup Best Actor: Toni Servillo — La Grazia
- Special Jury Prize: Sotto le nuvole (Below the Clouds) — Gianfranco Rosi
- Best Screenplay: À pied d’œuvre — Valérie Donzelli & Gilles Marchand
- Marcello Mastroianni Award: Luna Wedler — Silent Friend
- Lifetime Achievement: Werner Herzog & Kim Novak
And in the Horizons section, Roy’s category:
- Best Film: En el Camino — David Pablos
- Best Director: Anuparna Roy — Songs of Forgotten Trees
- Special Jury Prize: Hara Watan — Akio Fujimoto
- Best Actress: Benedetta Porcaroli — Il Rapimento di Arabella
- Best Actor: Giacomo Covi — Un Anno di Scuola
- Best Screenplay: Hiedra — Ana Cristina Barragán
- Best Short Film: Without Kelly — Lovisa Sirén
The Emotional Core: Hind Rajab
For many, the Gaza film The Voice of Hind Rajab will be remembered as the true centerpiece. Its screening turned into something larger than cinema — chants of “Free Palestine” echoed inside and outside the hall.
The ovation stretched nearly half an hour. People wept, hugged, raised fists. Awards aside, the film already feels destined for the Oscars and for history books.
Back Home and Beyond
In India, social media turned celebratory. #AnuparnaRoy and #SongsOfForgottenTrees trended deep into the night. Filmmakers called it “the moment Indian indie cinema had been waiting for.” Students and first-time directors said it gave them hope.
In Gaza, the mood was bittersweet. Cultural groups said the Golden Lion snub was disappointing, but insisted the audience’s response mattered more than any jury.
Western critics stayed split. Some praised the jury’s restraint, others accused them of dodging politics.
What This Year Means
- For India: A long-awaited breakthrough. Roy’s win is proof that independent Indian cinema can step out of Bollywood’s shadow and stand tall on the global stage.
- For Gaza: A reminder that films can become movements, and that impact is not always measured in trophies.
- For Venice: The 2025 edition will be remembered for its unpredictability — and for keeping cinema alive as a battleground of ideas.
Final Word
The Venice Film Festival of 2025 will be remembered less for who won and more for what it meant.
Anuparna Roy’s quiet but historic win. A Gaza film that shook the festival, even in defeat. And a Golden Lion that went to a film about the smallest unit of life — family.
It was a year when cinema reminded us it can still comfort, provoke, divide, and heal. All in the same night.
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About the Author
Kajal is a staff journalist at Newstic.in, covering national and international news with a focus on business, technology, and culture. With a background in digital reporting and a keen eye for accuracy, she writes stories that combine depth, clarity, and relevance for today’s readers. Her work reflects Newstic’s commitment to credible, fact-checked journalism that informs and engages audiences across India and beyond
