Taosin Zafar
Where Stories
Become Resistance
Taosin Md. Bahadurshah Zafar is a storyteller, human rights advocate, and impact producer whose work connects cinema, civic freedom, and social change. A graduate of Television, Film and Photography from the University of Dhaka, he uses visual storytelling to explore issues related to human rights. Through his works, he blends artistic sensitivity with advocacy, creating contents that speak to both society and conscience.
Taosin Zafar
Biography
Originating from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Taosin Md. Bahadurshah Zafar is a filmmaker, human rights storyteller, and impact producer working at the intersection of cinema, civic freedom, and social change. His work explores digital repression, freedom of expression, memory, peace, and public accountability. Through films such as Banyan – A Silent Witness and The Black Kite, he brings a socially grounded lens to stories shaped by silence, resistance, and human experience. Blending research-driven insight with emotional depth, his storytelling invites audiences into spaces where cinema becomes advocacy.
My Approach
I am drawn to stories that live at the edge of silence; stories shaped by memory, resistance, and social truth. My approach to filmmaking combines careful research with visual sensitivity, allowing me to create narratives that are intimate, reflective, and socially conscious. Whether working on fiction, documentary, or advocacy-driven projects, I aim to craft films that open dialogue, question power, and make unseen experiences visible. For me, cinema is not only a form of expression; it is a responsibility to observe honestly, listen deeply, and tell stories that matter.
Education
& Training
Taosin Md. Bahadurshah Zafar holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Television, Film and Photography from the University of Dhaka. His academic journey combined social science, media theory, journalism, research methods, and hands-on visual production, shaping his understanding of cinema as both an artistic medium and a tool for public communication.
Bachelor of Social Sciences in Television, Film and Photography
- •CGPA: 3.60 out of 4.00
- •Position: 1st Class 3rd
- •Academic Scholarships: Govt. Honours Scholarship (Merit Based)
- •Thesis Type: Graduate Production - Film
Digital Rights, Advocacy Filmmaking and Impact Production Workshop
- •Selected for a fully funded international workshop
- •Focus: Digital rights, advocacy storytelling, and impact production
Fellowship and Training in Filmmaking and Climate Stories
- •Specialized workshop on environmental advocacy and climate documentaries
Fellowship and Training in Filmmaking and Peace Stories
- •Fellowship exploring stories shape by peace, resistance, and human memory
Body of Work
Explore films, graduate thesis productions, and advocacy documentaries shaping digital freedom and social change.
2025The Outsiders
A father who lost everything to river erosion struggles to survive on Dhaka’s railway tracks by selling stolen shoes, with his young son by his side. But one day, while trying to save an innocent teenage girl from harassment, he is forced to confront his past, his humanity, and his sense of responsibility.
2024The Black Kite
During an internet blackout in Bangladesh, a freelancer struggles to navigate life as his work and connections are cut off, showing the impact of a world forced to pause.
2023Banyan - A Silent Witness
Known as the home of tea, Srimangal has witnessed a chilling history dating back to the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. A centenary banyan tree can be found in a corner of Badhyabhoomi 71 next to the present rent-raised tea garden. The tree has a bloody history since the liberation war.
2025Jiboner Golpo / The Story of Jibon
One day, while playing, Jibon suddenly falls into an open manhole, a brutal symbol of the city’s negligence and the failure of state institutions. In an instant, a family is shattered, dreams come to a halt, and a promising young life is extinguished.
2023Device / One Shot Film
Device is a gripping one-shot film that delves into the dark recesses of suspicion and betrayal. The story revolves around a handicapped husband who becomes increasingly suspicious of his wife's fidelity.
Upcoming 2026We Had A River
The Daughter of the River is a poetic environmental documentary set beside the Surma and Kushiyara rivers in Sylhet. Through the story of a teacher who refuses to let her river fade into silence, the film explores pollution, memory, community life, and the urgent need to protect Bangladesh’s rivers.
News & Articles Related to Work
Read critical reviews, press coverage, and impact updates documenting digital advocacy campaigns and screen activations.
Project LaunchLights, Camera, Advocacy: Tech Tales Youth Bangladesh and Malaysia Begins
EngageMedia announces the selected filmmakers from Bangladesh and Malaysia for the third edition of Tech Tales Youth. This initiative brings the creative voices of young filmmakers into the digital rights movement, focusing on human rights in the digital age.
News CoverageThe Black Kite Soars Against Digital Repression in Bangladesh
Amidst the protests demanding a reform of the quota system in government jobs, the 4G network was abruptly shut down around midnight on July 15, 2024, in the Dhaka University campus area. Witnessing this firsthand was Taosin Md. Bahadurshah Zafar, who went on to create The Black Kite.
Critical AnalysisLife in Darkness: Internet Shutdowns and Digital Labor Precarity in Bangladesh
In Taosin Zafar’s film 'The Black Kite', Arif, a freelancer who relies on crutches, faces a devastating reality when a government-imposed internet shutdown cuts off his livelihood, exposing the precarious nature of digital labor in an increasingly authoritarian landscape.
Campaign ExtensionExtended Impact Grants Support Tech Tales Youth Advocacy Campaigns
EngageMedia is providing extended impact campaign support to four filmmakers from across two editions of Tech Tales Youth. These filmmakers have each been awarded an additional USD 1,000 to deepen their community engagement and digital rights advocacy work.
Impact ActivityTech Tales Youth Extended Impact: How The Black Kite Amplifies Resilience Beyond Screens in Bangladesh
As part of EngageMedia’s Tech Tales Youth Extended Impact programme, The Black Kite has already moved beyond the screen, catalysing conversations, workshops, and practical tools that empower communities to resist digital repression and assert their rights.
Project DetailsTech Tales Youth 2: Defending Internet Freedom in Bangladesh and Malaysia
Tech Tales Youth 2 expands the digital rights movement in Asia-Pacific through compelling visual storytelling, building on the success of prior editions. This edition focuses on Malaysia and Bangladesh, where emerging filmmakers create powerful short films addressing digital rights challenges.
Accolades & Awards
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Peace Fellow
Films 4 Peace Foundation
December 2021
Best Documentary
TFP Creative Excellence Awards 2024
University of Dhaka
Best Graduate Film
TFP Creative Excellence Awards 2025
University of Dhaka
Best One-Shot Film
TFP Creative Excellence Awards 2024
University of Dhaka
Best Director - Documentary
TFP Creative Excellence Awards 2024
University of Dhaka
Best Television Programme
TFP Creative Excellence Awards 2024
University of Dhaka
Audience Award
12th Liberation DocFest Bangladesh
Liberation War Museum, 2024
Peace Film Award
Peace Film Festival, ICT Ministry of Bangladesh
ICT Ministry of Bangladesh, 2023
Champion of Documentary
BUP Film Fest
Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), 2025
Paper Selection
ITD Conference, Green University of Bangladesh
Green University of Bangladesh, 2024
Testimonials
Read professional reflections from producers, directors, and human rights coordinators on joint creative endeavors.
"The difference between Taosin and other people was that he was able to go beyond making things to purposeful public participation. He demonstrated that he was able to communicate with a broad spectrum of people, facilitate community discussions, organize events, and simplify complex issues of digital rights to various communities."
Rezwanul Islam
Project Lead, Digital Spaces for Dialogue, EngageMedia
"Working with Taosin Zafar has always felt like being trusted with an open sky. He brings out the best in every artist by leading with clarity, trust, and vision rather than authority. Beyond directing, his storytelling continues seamlessly in the edit room. His relentless "The show must go on" spirit is something I deeply respect and proudly follow."
Shakib Hossain
Director and Cinematographer
"Taosin, as a filmmaker, has always been interested in highlighting people’s struggles through his work, especially issues that lack sufficient discussion in Bangladesh. Digital rights, for example, is an area that remains relatively unknown to the general public, as the topic itself is still relatively new. This is where the Tech Tales Youth program, through Taosin Zafar’s film, made a significant impact."
Shoeb Abdullah
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Activate Rights
"Working with Taosin during group sessions and collaborative projects, I was deeply impressed by his immense intelligence and sensitivity toward filmmaking. He has a remarkable ability to think creatively while also working effectively within a collaborative environment. His dedication, insight, and passion for cinema make him a promising filmmaker with a unique voice."
Ishtiyak Ahmad Zihad
Director and Writer, MANpaCHITRA
Research & Articles
Review academic publications, Term Papers, and detailed Graduate Film Process Books detailing digital systems and cinema theories.
StudyAI’s Role in Shaping the Present and Future of Cinema
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the filmmaking process and audience interaction. This paper analyzes AI's application throughout all filmmaking stages, including preproduction, production, and postproduction, illustrating how AI is becoming an integral part of the creative industry.
_ Case Studies of Youth Digital Resilience in Bangladesh & Nepal.avif)
Research ArticleSouth Asian Spring (SAS): Case Studies of Youth Digital Resilience in Bangladesh & Nepal
Recent occurrences in South Asia, specifically Bangladesh's internet shutdown in 2024 and Nepal's subsequent restriction of social media in 2025, demonstrate that when connectivity is constrained, youth engagement does not cease; rather, it is restructured. This paper presents the 'South Asian Spring (SAS)' framework.
ArticleContinuity of Control: Digital Security, Cyber Security, and the Politics of Media Production in Bangladesh
The Digital Security Act (DSA) of 2018 in Bangladesh was officially repealed and replaced by the Cyber Security Act (CSA) in September 2023. However, the fundamental point of this article is: the change was far more significant in name than in structure. This study looks at the transition as a political and cultural process.
 by Alfred Hitchcock from The Perspective of Psychoanalytical Film Theory.png)
Term PaperPsycho (1960) by Alfred Hitchcock from The Perspective of Psychoanalytical Film Theory
This paper signifies the psychoanalytic theory from the cinematic perspective. It showcases the theories of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan and how they have been applied and visualised in the landmark horror film 'Psycho' by director Alfred Hitchcock.
Process Book of Graduate ProductionThe Outsiders - Film Process Book
Creating 'The Outsiders' was not without its difficulties. The process pushed my resilience and sensitivity from the practical challenges of filming in hectic public areas of Dhaka to the emotional struggle of directing sequences of violence and misery, confirming cinema as a strong tool for empathy.
Critical EssayCritical Essay on ‘Whose Democracy? Rights-based Discourse and Global Intellectual Property Rights Activism’
Boatema Boateng's chapter 'Whose Democracy? Rights-based Discourse and Global Intellectual Property Rights Activism' in The Handbook of Global Media and Communication Policy examines the complex relationship between global digital rights activism, democratic representation, and intellectual property rights frameworks.
Taosin Zafar
Director’s Reel