Nidhi Saxena's ‘Secret of a Mountain Serpent' wins New Voice Award at Bangkok International Film Fest

Filmmaker Nidhi Saxena's "Secret of a Mountain Serpent", has bagged the ‘New Voice Award' at the Bangkok International Film Festival 2025.

Starring Adil Hussain and Trimala Adhikari, the Indo-Italian-Sri Lankan co-production had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.

Produced by Forest Flower Film in collaboration with Camera d'Or-winning Sri Lankan filmmaker Vimukthi Jayasundara, the film marks Saxena's second feature.

It was developed with support from the Biennale College Cinema fund — a recognition that made Saxena the first Indian woman filmmaker to receive the grant. Set against the backdrop of the 1999 Kargil War, "Secret of a Mountain Serpent" follows a school teacher in a remote Himalayan town emptied of men. Her quiet existence is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious outsider, whose presence stirs forgotten myths, desire, and memory.

“When the world is speaking of war, this award reaffirms my faith that there is still space for poetry and love. I am very excited to return to the Dharamshala International Film Festival, also one of my favourite Indian film festivals, with my second feature," Saxena said.

The movie will next make its India premiere at the 14th Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF).

Saxena's debut feature "Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman" premiered at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival, where it received support from the Asian Cinema Fund.

The key crew of Secret of a Mountain Serpent included production designer Avni Goyal, editor Saman Alvitigala, and sound designer Neeraj Gera.