Nidhi Saxena’s Secret Of A Mountain Serpent’s which premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, recently won ‘New Voice Award’ at the Bangkok International Film Festival 2025.
Starring Adil Hussain and Trimala Adhikari, the film is making its India Premiere at the 14th Dharamshala International Film Festival.
Nidhi Saxena’s second feature won the Biennale College Cinema fund, making Nidhi the first Indian woman to win it. The film Opened the Biennale College Cinema program at the Venice Film Festival.
Her debut feature, Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman, premiered at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival where it received a grant from the Asian Cinema Fund.
Sharing her joy about winning the award at Bangkok International Film Festival 2025, Nidhi says, “When the world is speaking of war, this award reaffirms my faith that there is still space for poetry and love” She adds “I am very excited to return to Dharamshala International Film Festival, also one of my favourite Indian film festivals, with my second feature.”
Secret Of A Mountain Serpent is produced by Forest Flower Film along with Camera D’or winner, Cannes fame Vimukhti Jayasundara. Key crew includes production designer Avni Goyal, editor Saman Alvitigala, and sound designer Neeraj Gera. The film is a co-production between India, Italy, and Sri Lanka.
Synopsis
During the 1999 Kargil War, in a remote Himalayan town emptied of men, a school teacher drifts through absence and quiet until a mysterious outsider unsettles her world. His arrival revives a myth of a waiting serpent in the river, stirring desire and memory in equal measure.
About the Director
Nidhi Saxena is an Indian writer and filmmaker with a background in painting, sculpture, and literature. Her artistic work centers on emotional interiority, mythology, and the daily nuances of women’s lives. Her debut feature, Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman, premiered at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival to international acclaim.
With Secret of a Mountain Serpent, selected as a Finalist Project by Biennale College Cinema 2024–25, she extends her exploration into feminine solitude, community memory, and the quiet rebellion of desire.
About Forest Flower Films
Based in Jaipur, Forest Flower Films is an independent production house founded by Nidhi Saxena, Ajender Singh Chawla, and Sunita. The three promoters bring together artistic vision, strategic partnerships, and financial management to build a space for uncompromising feature films.
Our cinema is grounded in the belief that film is not just narrative—it is a sensory and emotional experience. As Nidhi often says, “Every frame is like a painting, carrying the weight of memory, longing, and silence.” We are committed to exploring women’s stories with honesty and depth, portraying the complexities of desire, loneliness, and resilience.
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