Films On Rafooghar
Poster illustration by @tilottama_. Art direction @that_thing_i_do
Daastaan-e-Rafoo: Stories in Stitches tells the story of Rafooghar-a community space in one of the most marginalised neighbourhoods in New Delhi and the women who gather here every Sunday - to rest, stitch their stories and reflect on their needs and desires, away from the demands of home and family. The film delves into the transformative and therapeutic power of stitching, showing how this seemingly simple act is slowly reshaping their lives.
Filmmaker Harmeet Basur screened the film at Rafooghar, and it was deeply moving to watch everyone’s expressions as they saw themselves being projected onto the wall of our community space.
Film Trailer
The first public screening of Daastaan-e-rafoo: Stories in Stitches happened at Arthshila_delhi followed by a conversation with Nahid, Roshan, Pinky, Moni, Gulafhsa and Foziya.
The film was also screened at Studio 345 -a joint initiative between Sandbox Collective and the Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan, Bangalore in October 2025 and our girls Sanya and Anjali travelled alone for the first time to be a part of the screening and conversations along with Shivangi and Roshni. They also invited attendees to add their mark to Rafooghar’s travelling quilt.
The film was selected for 2025 International Social Change Film Festival, Chicago.
Daastaan-e-Rafoo: Stories in Stitches
A film by Harmeet Basur
Funding Support: Noon
Sound post production Grjashanker Vohra Depot.records
Grading Aniljunior Assistant Camera Akash Chaudhary, Assistant Camera Akash Chaudhary
“Don’t worry, we have nothing to say.” is a documentary about the importance of artivism to create stronger ties and personal relationships between communities in India, showing how human rights can benefit from art practices to give people a better understanding of what they are.
Premiere at Cityscreenyork, UK
Rafooghar is the center of the film, a place that gives women and kids, from different communities, a place to gather, rest, chill and stitch their stories. Art played a very important role during the Shaheen bagh protests in 2019 and these artistic movements brought the women again together at Rafooghar.
Pooja Dhingra (@that_thing_i_do) and Yusra Kahn (@yusrakhan21) united forces and began the project that now embraces Jasola and Shaheen Bagh’s women every week.
In 2024, Pooja Dhingra welcomed Emilie Flower, Lia Petrelli and Tallulah Lines in New Delhi (India), as part of a art residency with Rafooghar and the AHRC Art Rights Truth research project from the University of York.
The première was screened on December 3rd, 2025 as part of “Repair and renewal: arts and activism in an era of crisis and change” at cityscreenyork followed by a conversation with artists who were part of the Residency in India- Emilie Flower, Tallulah Lines, Pooja Dhingra
Left to Right: Emilie Flower, Tallulah Lines, Oliver Harris and Pooja Dhingra at CityscreenYork for post-screening conversations.
“Don’t worry, we have nothing to say.”
Direction, screenplay, cameras and production: Lia Petrelli and Emilie Flower
Edit and mountage: Lia Petrelli @liapetrelli
Colouring grade: Vinicius Gouveia @vinigouveia_
Translation: Debolina Maity