Anuparna Roy’s 'Lovers in the Blue Night' has won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film at Venice, a year after her Orizzonti Best Director win.
Anuparna Roy’s Lovers in the Blue Night has won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.
The award comes a year after Roy won the Orizzonti Award for Best Director for her debut feature, Songs of Forgotten Trees, at Venice in 2025. She returned to the festival this year with her second feature.
Set in Mumbai, Lovers in the Blue Night follows four people whose lives intersect through love, marriage, desire and belonging. The film centres on Karim, played by Pritam Pilania, and his wife Ameena, played by Neelima Sharma. Their relationship begins to change after Karim crosses paths with Sukka, a small-time criminal played by Bhushan Shimpi, while Ameena develops feelings for her new co-worker Omran, played by Jatin Sarin.
The film is also set to have its Asian premiere at the Busan International Film Festival. Roy has previously described being selected for Busan as a dream and said the festival offers an important platform for independent filmmakers.
The NETPAC award marks another recognition for Roy at Venice, following her Orizzonti Best Director win for her debut feature in 2025.
