Songs of Forgotten Trees, an indie feature backed by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, will have its India premiere as the closing film at this year’s Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF), scheduled from October 30 to November 2.

The film marks the directorial debut of Anuparna Roy and is produced by Bibhanshu Rai, Romil Modi, and Ranjan Singh. It stars Naaz Shaikh and Sumi Baghel in the lead roles.

Roy created history at the 82nd Venice Film Festival by becoming the first Indian director to win the Best Director award in the prestigious Orizzonti Competition for the film.

According to the official synopsis, Songs of Forgotten Trees follows Thooya, a migrant and aspiring actress navigating city life through resilience and charm, often balancing ambition and survival in morally complex spaces.

“Our film has been seen by global audiences in the last few months, but bringing it home gives me immense joy,” Roy said in a statement. “To have its India premiere at DIFF—a festival that celebrates cinema with heart, thought, and soul—feels deeply personal. Dharamshala’s mountains, its silences, its spirit… they echo so much of what this film stands for.”

Producer Ranjan Singh said the film’s journey from Venice to Dharamshala feels like a full circle. “Watching it make history at Venice and connect with audiences across continents has been incredibly rewarding. Dharamshala, with its independent spirit and love for meaningful cinema, is the ideal space for this homecoming,” he said.