‘Silence of the Looms’ Weaves Forgotten Muslin History at Busan’s Asian Project Market

Busan’s Asian Project Market will showcase “Silence of the Looms,” a period drama from Bangladeshi director Mirza Shabnam Ferdousi. Produced by Rajib Mohajan alongside Sensemakers and Crack Platoon, with Studio Forty-Five Hundred LLC leading the project, the film revisits the erased history of muslin weaving under British colonial rule and honors the resilience of the artisans whose craft once captivated the world.

Ferdousi said her journey with the story began more than a decade ago, when she first encountered writer Aditi Falguni’s short story about muslin weavers. Later, reading researcher Saiful Islam’s book on the fabric’s legacy deepened her commitment. “The myths and memories of muslin have always surrounded me — almost as if they are part of my DNA,” she says. “The story of the finger-cut weavers — whether mutilated by the British or cutting their own thumbs in protest — moves me profoundly. Through ‘Silence of the Looms,’ I want to honor those artisans — not only their suffering but also their defiance.”

The film aimed to bring muslin to life on screen not only as historical artifact but as tactile, living craft. “I want the audience to feel the texture of muslin — to hear the rhythm of the loom, to see the threads shimmer in the light, to sense the patience and devotion woven into every inch of fabric,” Ferdousi explains. “The film will intertwine historical truth with emotional depth, allowing the craft to unfold through the struggles, joys, and resilience of the characters who embody it.”

Balancing accuracy and emotional storytelling was central to Ferdousi’s approach. “When I tell the story of muslin, I feel the responsibility of doing justice to the facts… At the same time, history on its own can feel distant unless it is lived through human experience. My task as a filmmaker is to weave the facts into the emotions of the characters,” she says.

For Ferdousi, who has made more than 40 documentaries and won Bangladesh’s National Film Award in 2016 for “Born Together,” the project also marks a leap to larger-scale storytelling. Her fiction debut “Ajob Karkhana (Song of the Soul)” won the Fipresci Award at the Dhaka International Film Festival in 2022. “In many ways, this film continues my lifelong pursuit of stories from the margins,” she says. “What’s different is the scale: a move from national storytelling to international cinema.”

Producer Rajib Mohajan, best known for co-producing Abdullah Mohammad Saad’s “Rehana Maryam Noor,” which premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard in 2021 and became Bangladesh’s Oscar submission, said he was struck by Ferdousi’s determination. “She wasn’t trying to repeat herself — she was daring to break new ground. Her deep research, sensitivity to history, and honesty in the filmmaking process convince me this is more than just a film, but a mission,” he says.

Ensuring authenticity, the team worked closely with Saiful Islam as research advisor, with plans to involve artisans and fashion houses in recreating muslin’s legacy on screen. Financing strategies included local sponsorships, cultural institutions, and international collaborations. “Our primary goal at APM is to connect with co-producers, sales agents and distributors who believe in the power of historical stories with global resonance,” Mohajan notes. He adds that British characters essential to the narrative will require international casting support, alongside technical collaborators in post-production and VFX.

For Mohajan, the film’s strength lay in its duality. “On one hand, ‘Silence of the Looms’ is a deeply Bangladeshi story — rooted in the lost legacy of Dhaka Muslin and the silenced voices of artisans whose craft once captivated the world. On the other, its themes — colonial exploitation, cultural erasure, and the fight to preserve dignity — are profoundly universal,” he says.