Venice winner Anuparna Roy's parents come out in her defence on Palestine remarks, say 'she did not say anything wrong'

Anuparna Roy receives the Orizzonti Best Director Award for "Songs of Forgotten Trees" during the closing ceremony of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, in Venice, Italy. (Photo: Reuters)

Indian filmmaker Anuparna Roy became the first Indian to win Best Director award at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival recently. Indians are on cloud nine with this win, which has made every citizen proud but some have been trolling the note filmmaker for her choice of words in the acceptance speech.

Roy became the first Indian to win the award in the Orizzonti section at the festival for her debut feature "

During her acceptance speech, Roy had extended her support for children in Palestine.

According to a report in Indian Express, her parents are disturbed by the manner their daughter and filmmaker is being targeted in social media.

In her speech, she said: "Every child deSongs of Forgotten Trees".serves peace, freedom, liberation and Palestine is no exception. I don’t want any claps for this, it’s a responsibility. Think for a moment and stand beside Palestine. I might upset my country but it doesn’t matter to me anymore.”

Her father, Bramhananda Roy, who stays in Kulti, Paschim Bardhaman district, told Indian Express: "We are deeply disturbed and concerned about what is happening after our daughter has made the country proud. On social media my daughter is being targeted for her remarks on the plight of children in Palestine. Various sections of people are targeting her for her remarks and alleging she is standing with a particular community. We have spoken to her about the issue. She is in Mumbai and is very busy. But she too is unhappy about the issue,” said her parents collectively.

Roy's father says that his daughter’s words have been misinterpreted.

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“If you listen to the speech carefully she said, ‘Every child has the right to peace, freedom and liberation and Palestine is no exception.’ She did not speak about any community. She spoke of every child in the world. She did not say anything wrong,” he said.

Her mother, Manisha Roy, also asked trollers to stop targeting their daughter. “Why are they all targeting her? Is it wrong to speak about the welfare of children? She just expressed her opinion. Everyone has the right to have his or her opinion. She is a young and upright human being. She made us proud and the country proud. This is how a section of people treat such a person?”

"Songs of Forgotten Trees" was presented by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.

The film premiered in the festival’s prestigious Orizzonti Competition section and is produced by Bibhanshu Rai, Romil Modi and Ranjan Singh, the cast also includes Bhushan Shimpi, Ravi Maan, Pritam Pilania and Lovely Singh.

Talking about Anuparna, she grew up in Narayanpur village in Bengal. She was in IT sales before taking a big leap into the world of direction.