Anuparna Roy's Lovers In The Blue Night Wins NETPAC Award For Best Asian Film At Venice Film Festival 2026

Anuparna Roy’s Lovers in the Blue Night has won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film at the Venice Film Festival 2026. The recognition marks another major achievement for the Indian filmmaker, who returned to Venice with her second feature after winning the Orizzonti Best Director award for her debut film in 2025.

Lovers in the Blue Night wins NETPAC Award

The film's team announced the award after its screening at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. Lovers in the Blue Night is set in Mumbai and follows four people navigating love, marriage, desire and belonging in the city.

The film centres on Karim, played by Pritam Pilania, who lives with his wife Ameena, portrayed by Neelima Sharma. Their relationship begins to shift as Karim crosses paths with Sukka, a small-time criminal played by Bhushan Shimpi. Meanwhile, Ameena develops feelings for her new co-worker Omran, played by Jatin Sarin.

Roy's second feature has also been selected for the Busan International Film Festival, where it will have its Asian premiere. In an earlier interview with Mid-Day, the director said that being selected for Busan had been a dream and that the festival offered an important platform for independent filmmakers.

Anuparna Roy returns to Venice

The NETPAC honour comes a year after Roy won the Orizzonti Best Director award at Venice for her debut feature. Her return with a second film so soon after that recognition makes the achievement particularly significant for an independent Indian filmmaker.

The film’s Venice run adds to a growing international journey for Lovers in the Blue Night, which has already drawn attention beyond India. Its Busan selection will give the film another prominent platform in Asia.

The Venice Film Festival runs from August 26 to September 5, 2026, with Lovers in the Blue Night among the Indian films making an international mark at the festival.