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Following the screening of Songs of Forgotten Trees, filmmaker Anuparna Roy interacted with the audience during a Q&A session on Day Two of the 30th IFFK at Kalabhavan Theatre on 13 December 2025.
The screening received an enthusiastic response from viewers, who were drawn to the film’s restrained storytelling and emotional depth. Songs of Forgotten Trees, which won the Orizzonti Award for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival, is Roy’s debut feature and marks a confident entry into contemporary Indian cinema.
Speaking at the session, Roy described the film as a “gamble,” noting that its central idea was to portray two women living together while remaining emotionally detached from men. She emphasised that the narrative was rooted in emotional honesty rather than overt symbolism.
Set in Mumbai, the film explores urban loneliness and intimate estrangement through the evolving relationship between Thooya, an aspiring actor, and Swetha, a reserved corporate professional. The story unfolds within a claustrophobic domestic space, where closed doors, narrow frames, and visual obstructions subtly reflect the emotional barriers between the characters.
The film’s slow, observational rhythm allows viewers to peer into what unfolds behind closed doors, blurring the line between observation and intrusion. As the narrative progresses, an unexpected bond develops between the two women, each carrying her own emotional wounds shaped by very different life experiences.
Responding to questions on her visual style and camera angles, Roy stated that her creative decisions were guided by emotional truth rather than intellectual symbolism, allowing the characters’ inner worlds to emerge organically.