A Safe Haven

(Work in Progress)

The life journey of a dog loving couple, as they strive to create a safe haven for their hundred stray children, in the backdrop of an unsympathetic rural community.

Arun and Suvarna Pasare, with over 15 years of experience in stray dog feeding and rescues, have been steadily pushed out of their native place in Pune to the outskirts of the city.

Taking refuge at a nondescript village - Askarwadi, the couple with no supporting hands struggle with the daily chores at their Make New Life sanctuary for the strays. The village which is in the interior part of the countryside with an unfriendly local community, pose a major threat to their lives and mainly the hundred fifty dogs residing there. Despite possessing all permits, the locals are increasingly banding together to drive the family out of their village.

Synopsis

Trailers

Updates

A Safe Haven was selected among the final 24 projects for mentorship at Docedge Kolkata in 2021. Read more.

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Director, Producer, Camera: Bidit Roy

Additional Camera: Sayantan Acharya

The idea of making a film about animal welfare, particularly focusing on dogs, came naturally to me. Between 2016 and 2019, I was deeply involved in rescuing, fostering, and even fighting legal battles to protect stray dogs in and around my residential society. This experience allowed me to empathize with fellow animal rescuers who persist despite relentless opposition, harassment, financial strain, and lack of support.

When I learned about Make New Life, the shelter run by Suvarna and Arun Pasare, it immediately caught my attention. One of the biggest gaps in animal welfare is the lack of safe spaces for rescued dogs to heal before they can be released. Many animal lovers want to help but simply don’t have the means to house distressed animals, and even NGOs often struggle to provide long-term shelter. While some organizations offer medical treatment, few function as true sanctuaries. Running a shelter is far more demanding than operating a treatment center - it becomes an easy target for abandonment, with people dumping stray dogs and even leaving their own pets at its doorstep.

When my cinematographer friend Sayantan and I visited the Pasare’s shelter, we witnessed firsthand the hostility they faced. Even with our own background in animal welfare, the level of antagonism was shocking. The Pasares were under siege from multiple fronts while also tending to the dogs already in their care and managing a constant influx of new rescues. Unlike city-based NGOs, their remote location made it difficult for volunteers to visit. Living just a 30-minute drive away, I became their go-to emergency contact, and through frequent visits and conversations, I found myself becoming part of their story.

Through moments of anxiety, fear, anger, and uncertainty along with edge-of-the-seat tension - the film unveils a harrowing yet inspiring struggle. What unfolds is nothing short of a real-life thriller. By the end, viewers will be left emotionally shaken, questioning whether justice will ultimately prevail. In my imagination, A Safe Haven will evoke such intense emotions that audiences will need time to process it before they can move on to anything else.