StoryBeings is a traveling festival visiting six Indian cities in 2024, showcasing the powerful digital stories of young girls, women, queer, trans, and non-binary individuals. These narratives are vital because they challenge restrictive gender norms, combat hate, and break down oppressive stereotypes that dominate mainstream media.
StoryBeings gives agency back to those individuals, allowing them to tell their stories through simple, accessible tools like mobile phones. These stories, often unseen and unheard, offer a fresh perspective, revealing the realities of those on the margins and filling critical gaps in public discourse. By traveling city to city, the festival brings these stories directly to the communities that need them most, fostering empathy, connection, and a collective push toward inclusivity and understanding.
At StoryBeings, curation is led by local voices. Each festival is designed by hosts in their own cities, ensuring that the stories you hear are rooted in real, lived experiences. We work with experienced mentors to guide storytellers, making each festival uniquely reflective of its community.
Our storytellers are young girls, women, queer, and trans individuals, each using simple digital tools to create raw, authentic stories. These aren’t the polished narratives of mainstream media. Instead, they are personal, first-hand accounts of resilience, identity, and hope—stories that challenge norms and ignite conversation.
At StoryBeings, curation is led by local voices. Each festival is designed by hosts in their own cities, ensuring that the stories you hear are rooted in real, lived experiences. We work with experienced mentors to guide storytellers, making each festival uniquely reflective of its community.
Watch the festival trailer to dive into unforgettable moments, celebrating community, creativity, and shared stories.
StoryBeings Programming Curation Team : Anuja Ghosalkar, Zahra Gabuji, Maduli Thaosen, Shazia Qureshi
StoryBeings Travelling Festival Hosts Selection and Curation : Sameera Iyengar, Zahra Gabuji, Shazia Qureshi
Design & Communication : Vaishali Soni, Afrah Umapathy, Maduli Thaosen
Venue Partners : St. Paul Institute of Communication Education (Mumbai), Gandhibhawan (Bhopal), Co-Excel Hostel (KEM Hospital-Ajmer), Satrangi Dostana Restaurant (Patna), Barat Ghar (Delhi), Jogesh Mime Academy (Kolkata)
Accessibility Support : Manasa Uppuluri (Audio Descriptions, Shabina (ISL Interpretation), Tincy (ISL Interpretation
Logistics support : Manasa Uppuluri
Hindi Translations : Manju Singh
Additional Support : Swarali Marathe
Supported by : American Jewish World Service