Dr Shaison P. Ouseph: “I should do what I do if I want to make a difference in the world”

Dr Shaison P. Ouseph is an internationally-acclaimed documentary filmmaker, cameraman and photographer. His credits range from director of photography to art direction on a myriad of documentaries and independent feature projects. His public service campaigns promoting literacy, empowerment of women and action against child exploitation have won him many national and international accolades from organizations like the United Nations, the U.S. Embassy and the International Labour Organization.

Based in Mumbai, Shaison’s desire to work for the rights of domestic workers and their issues has taken the form of documentary films. His commitment to making meaningful films was clearly seen with his video on the earthquake in Nepal.

Shaison and his documentary team were in Arunachal Pradesh filming the ethnic groups near the Indo-Chinese border in 2010. Hearing about a clash between two tribes, the team stayed in a small hamlet. They played with the kids and settled for the night. In the morning, they heard that one of the tribes had attacked and burnt one village belonging to the other. Shaison’s filmmaking career has been filled with heart-wrenching moments like this. “Such incidents keep that fire in me burning and convince me that I should do what I do if I want to make a difference in the world,” he says.

Shaison searches the world to find meaningful themes. Films on the side-effects of cancer treatment in Denmark, power of women in Ethiopia, local classical music of Sweden, YVCO in Uganda, Helping Hands in Nepal, migrant issues in Australia, the Bali Spirit Festival in Indonesia and the work of a gifted healer in the United States, are some of the subjects that Shaison has recently documented.

In 2017, the International Independent Film Awards acknowledged his co-directed film, Playa Azul I Love You, with Dr Serena Anderlini in the U.S. In February 2018, Shaison had the privilege of being present at the International Youth Summit in Nepal. Recognizing his work for humanity, the World Institute for Peace in Nigeria (WIP) recognized him as the World Icon of Media for Peace 2017. In 2018, Brampton International University, Canada bestowed on Shaison an honorary doctorate for his contribution to media and the arts.

In February 2019, Shaison was appointed as the Chief Consultant for the international fundraising campaign for YVCO Alliance, Africa.

Shaison teaches film-making at various places around the world. He is one of the directors at Matrix Of Learning in the U.S. and has been featured in many national and international magazines, radio and video programmes. His association with international organizations such as 100 Humanitarians, Habitat for Humanity, Seeds of Peace and the Life Story Library Foundation in the U.S., is another milestone in his life.

Shaison’s goal is to inspire young people and use films to share powerful human stories for the greater purpose.

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