ABOUT
Sej Saraiya (b. 1985) is interdisciplinary visual artist, an acclaimed photographer and filmmaker, recognized for her ethnographic and fine art photography that documents Indigenous cultures around the globe. With an MFA in Screenwriting from the University of Southern California, earned in 2009, Sej has embarked on immersive photographic journeys through the interiors of Asia and the Americas, creating poignant portraits that serve as windows into remote communities and their intertwined relationships with the environment. Her photographic work has taken her to some of the most remote corners of the world, where she has encountered invaluable treasures—from the tattooed headhunters of hidden India to the wisdom of medicine women in British Columbia, and from the shamans of the Venezuelan Amazonas to globally revered leaders and humanitarians such as Their Holinesses the Dalai Lama and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Sej’s mission centers on preserving the rich tapestry of global cultures and landscapes.
A dedicated leader in her field, Sej actively serves on the board of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP-LA), the Garifuna Indigenous Film Festival (GIIFF, now in its 13th year), and contributes to the Topanga Film Festival (TFF, now in its 18th season). She is also a Professional Member of the American Photographic Artists (APA) and a lead facilitator at the BRIDGE photography mentorship program. In 2024, Sej was the Founding Director of the World Culture Film Festival for the Art of Living Foundation. She actively engages in thought leadership through speaking engagements, workshops, and panel discussions at universities, museums, and film festivals. Sej's work has garnered attention in prestigious publications, including ELLE, LA YOGA, DEADLINE, Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, and USA Today, and has been exhibited at art galleries, museums, and prominent venues like John Wayne Airport, with her photographs adorning the walls of private collectors around the world.
Sej's short fiction film, THE CURIOUS WOODS (2021), which highlights the beauty and necessity of nature in human existence, has screened at numerous film festivals, collecting over 30 awards, including Best Environmental Film and Best Director. Another short, THE LANGUAGE THEY SPOKE (2019), reflects on the often-overlooked value of silence in a busy world, winning accolades including Best Experimental Film. In 2023-2024, Sej co-directed FROM HEAD TO HEART, a documentary that explores the humble beginnings of the Art of Living Foundation and the International Association for Human Values, set for release in 2025. In addition, she is in post-production on her feature documentary, THE DANCE OF FREEDOM (2026), which honors a tribe of women she captured through her lens five years prior and deeply admires.
Now residing in Topanga, California, Sej Saraiya continues to blend visual storytelling through photography and film, passionately advocating for the preservation of the world’s diverse cultures and ecosystems.
The reason I photograph is to experience and share human existence beyond the precinct of words. It takes an adventurous spirit to venture out to the farthest corners of this earth, but those handful who do are obliged to bring back the stories that haven’t been heard, to shine light on the responsibilities that come with sharing a planet—the importance and urgency of which I portray through my photographs.
What drives my photography is a thirst to tell the stories that haven’t been heard and share uplifting perspectives on the world that haven’t been seen. At least in the dominant cultures. I have lived in places with no running water, climbed active volcanoes, walked for days to reach a spiritually significant glacier 12,000 ft. above sea level, spent years communicating with people who don’t speak my language, photographed in scorching deserts; all to bring back stories that can create a positive impact on this planet. With each new environment, my innate ability to navigate unfamiliar cultures has allowed me to make connections with people of all backgrounds and enabled me to obtain images that connect with viewers at the same deep level I connected with.
EXHIBITIONS & TALKS
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026 — Interconnecting Lines — Cur. Bisa Bennett — Artio Gallery, New York, USA
2026 — Beyond Borders — Cur. Bisa Bennett — European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), Barcelona, Spain
2026 — Atlas of Humanity — Cur. Martin Vega — Galerie Joseph le Palais, Paris, France
2026 — Atlas of Humanity — Cur. Martin Vega — One Art Space, New York, USA
2025 — International Photo Awards (IPA) Winners (Juried) — House of Lucie (Projection), Athens, Greece
2025 — Things We Carry: A Contemporary Asian Experience — Cur. Andrea Marshall — Studio Montclair, New Jersey, USA
2025 — Coastal Reflections (Juried) — Malibu City Gallery, Malibu, USA
2023 — 2022: A Year of Duality — Jur. ASMP — Photo Impact Gallery, West Hollywood, USA
2023 — APA Chicago: Artist’s Perspective — Jur. Natasha Egan — Fulton Street Collective, Chicago, USA
2023 — Bold Beauty Project — Jur. Nancy Kaye — The Art Room, Los Angeles, USA
2022 — Aging as Art — Council of Aging — Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, USA
2022 — KAPWA: A Communal Spirit — Cur. Hon Huang — Avenue 50 Studio, Los Angeles, USA
2022 — A World From Home II (Virtual) — Cur. Nancy Kaye — American Society of Media Photographers
2021 — Untitled Group Exhibition — Cur. Kate Kincaid — Topanga Canyon Gallery, Topanga, USA
2021 — Aging as Art — Council on Aging — Newport Beach Central Library, Santa Ana, USA
2021 — Aging as Art — Council on Aging — Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, USA
2021 — Untitled Group Exhibition — Cur. Alison Zavos — Foley Gallery, New York, USA
2021 — Poetry of the Earth — Cur. Deja Cross — Rishikesh International Film Festival, Rishikesh, India
2021 — Aging as Art — Council on Aging — Vi Smith Concourse Gallery, Orange County, USA
2020 — Untitled Group Exhibition — Cur. Alison Zavos — Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece
2020 — Aging as Art — Council on Aging — Newport Beach Central Library, Santa Ana, USA
2020 — Topanga Artists Studio Tour — Topanga Artists Studio Tour, Topanga, USA
2020 — Aging as Art — Council on Aging — Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, USA
2020 — A World From Home (Online) — Cur. Nancy Kaye — American Society of Media Photographers
2020 — Sacred Landscapes — Rishikesh International Film Festival, Tapovan, India
2018 — Animal Advocacy Through Art — Cur. N. Ford — Lois Lambert Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2018 — Non-Duality Among the Indigenous — Inv. Freda Sideroff — Electric Lodge Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2018 — Kapwa: A Communal Spirit — Cur. Hon Huang — Nous Tous Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2017 — School’s Out Forever — Cur. Jalal Poehman — Legato Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2017 — Evoking the Unseen — Cur. Jeffrey Ainis — Venice Love Shack, Los Angeles, USA
2017 — Beatles and the Indian Influence — Cur. Phil Goldberg — Santa Monica Assembly Hall, Los Angeles, USA
2017 — Advaita or Non-Duality — Cur. Deja Cross — Shangri-La, Topanga Canyon, USA
2017 — Advaita or Non-Duality — Cur. Tribhuvan Chauhan — Uttra Art Gallery, Rishikesh, India
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 — Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Conference — Inv. Ariela Goharik Kiradjian — Westlake Village Inn, Westlake, USA
2022 — Topanga Film Festival (Featured Artist) — Cur. Urs Baur — Topanga Film Festival, Topanga, USA
2022 — Revel Silk: Indigenous Women — Cur. Monica Dogra — Houndstooth Studio, Los Angeles, USA
2022 — Indigenous Wisdom — Cur. Freda Sideroff — Electric Lodge Art Gallery, Venice, USA
2021 — A Taste of India (Garden Event) — Cur. Nicole Muyingo — MUY House, Culver City, USA
2020 — A Taste of the World — Inv. Graham Brooks — Froggies, Topanga, USA
2019 — Remote Cultures, Ancient Wisdom & Advaita — Inv. Jim Burklo — University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
2019 — Indigenous Peoples of the World — Inv. Prof. Mugdha Yeolekar — California State University, Fullerton, USA
2019 — Namaste India — Inv. Prof. Mugdha Yeolekar — Short Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles, USA
2019 — Advaita or Non-Duality — Inv. Deja Cross — Rishikesh International Film Festival, Tapovan, India
2017 — Advaita or Non-Duality — Maharishi “Beatles” Ashram, Rishikesh, India
SELECTED TALKS, LECTURES, and PANELS
2025 — Photo Talk — Galerie 24b, Paris, France
2025 — Photo Talk — House of Lucie, Athens, Greece
2024 — Sacred Art of Storytelling (Panel Host) — World Culture Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2024 — Environment in Film (Panel Host) — World Culture Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2024 — Leveraging Film Festivals (Panelist) — World Culture Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2023 — Film as a Tool for Decolonization (Panelist) — Garifuna Indigenous International Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2023 — Post-Colonial Philanthropy (Panel Host) — Topanga Film Festival, Topanga, USA
2023 — BRIDGE Program (Assistant Facilitator) — American Society of Media Photographers & BKC, Los Angeles, USA
2023 — Creativity & Consciousness (Panelist) — Independent Program, Los Angeles, USA
2022 — The Indigenous Story (Panel Host) — Topanga Film Festival, Topanga, USA
2022 — Remote Cultures and Ancient Wisdom (Lecture) — Big Bear Yoga Festival, Big Bear, USA
2022 — A Whole New World (Lecture) — Culture Journeys Kids Summer Camp, Hermosa Beach, USA
2022 — Learning from Ancient Cultures (Lecture) — Garifuna Indigenous International Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2021 — The Meditative Eye (Panel) — Rishikesh Film Festival, Rishikesh, India
2021 — Shakti (Moderator) — Rishikesh Film Festival, Rishikesh, India
2021 — Remote Cultures, Ancient Wisdom & Non-Duality (Lecture) — Yangchenma Arts & Music, Topanga, USA
2021 — Photographing Remote Cultures (Lecture) — Learning Bird, Canada
2020 — Sociology of Globalization (Lecture) — Symbiosis School of Photography, Pune, India
2020 — Tales of the Desert Gypsies (Lecture) — Yangchenma Music & Arts, Topanga, USA
2019 — Individualism, Collectivism & Non-Duality (Lecture) — Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, USA
2019 — Remote Cultures, Ancient Wisdom & Advaita (Lecture) — University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
2019 — Infinite in its Silence (Panel) — California State University, Fullerton, USA
2019 — Journey Through India (Workshop) — Short Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles, USA
2018 — Empowered Indigenous Filmmaker Masterclass — TELUS Storyhive & VoVo Productions, Canada
2017 — Storytelling, Filmmaking & Consciousness (Lecture) — Maharishi Mahesh Yogi “Beatles” Ashram, Rishikesh, India
JURY & JUDGING
2025 — Reflections Art Program (Juror) — Redondo Union High School, Los Angeles, USA
2024 — World Culture Film Festival (Juror) — Art of Living Organization, Los Angeles, USA
2023 — 2022: A Year of Duality (Juror) — American Society of Media Photographers Photography Awards, Photo Impact Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2023–2024 — BRIDGE Photography Mentorship Program (Juror & Student Selection Committee) — ASMP-NY, Sony Alpha & Capture One, USA
2018 — Garifuna Indigenous International Film Festival (Juror) — Electric Lodge Gallery, Venice, California, USA
MEDIA & PUBLICATIONS
AUTHORED ARTICLES & BOOKS
2026 — Becoming Still: A Tale of Wild Places and Inner Reckoning — Independently published Literary Non Fiction, January 2026
2022 — Legends of America’s Sacred Landscapes (Cover Feature) — USA Today Magazine, September 2022
2022 — Remote Cultures and Ancient Wisdom — USA Today Magazine, May 2022
2021 — Donyi Tolo: Apatani — STEAM Journal, Claremont University (March 2019; published 2021)PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED
2022 — Cover Photograph — Belili Magazine, 2022 Issue (USA / Belize)
2021 — 26 Shades of Red (12-page photography spread) — Moevir Magazine, Paris, 2021 Issue
2020 — The Intercultural Nomad by Aletta Bredewold — Nomadict Magazine, April 2020
2019 — An Introduction to World Music by William Cratty & Jeffrey Ainis — Kendall Hunt Publishing, USA
2019 — The Inner Pilgrimage of Practice: Meditation Becomes Empowered on Mahasivratri by Nandhiji — LA Yoga Magazine, February 10, 2019
2018 — Cover Photograph — The Journals of Micah by Daniel Nesher
2018 — Cover Art — Silence in Bloom (Music Album) by Eman Attallah
2018 — SAADA (South Asian Digital Archives) Event — Malibu TimesINTERVIEWS, PRESS & MEDIA
2024 — Inaugural World Culture Film Festival in Los Angeles to Open With “The Monk and the Gun” — DEADLINE, by Matthew Carey, July 2024
2024 — Tom Holland, Oscar-Nominated Director Pawo Choyning Dorji Earn Awards at Inaugural World Culture Film Festival — DEADLINE, by Matthew Carey, July 2024
2024 — Inaugural World Culture Film Festival to Celebrate Uplifting and Unifying Global Cinema in Los Angeles — American Kahani, July 2024
2023 — Conservation Photographer Sej Saraiya and Her Dedication to Cultural Preservation — ELLE Magazine, July 2023
2023 — Female Filmmakers Chronicle the Rise of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation — Film Daily, by Callum Bradshaw, July 2023
2023 — Photographer Sejal Saraiya Captures the Powerful Stories of Indigenous Elders — Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, by James Nottingham, June 2023
2023 — Sej Saraiya’s Conservation Photography Shines Light on Indigenous Tribes and Climate Action — Mashable, by Pau Castillo, February 2023
2022 — Santa Fe Film Festival — Roswell Daily Record, by Christina Stock, January 5, 2022
2022 — The Curious Woods Filmmaker Found Inspiration in the Healing Power of Nature — Albuquerque Journal, by Adrien Gomez, January 10, 2022
2022 — Indigenous Story Panel: 17th Annual Topanga Film Festival — The Basic Cinephile
2019 — World Religions Seen Through a Photographer’s Lens — The Daily Titan, by Kim Pham, November 16, 2019
2018 — Animal Advocacy Through Art — LA Yoga Magazine, by Jeffrey Ainis, November 20, 2018
AWARDS
PHOTOGRAPHY
2026 — Second Place — Artio Gallery Art Prize Competition, New York, USA
2026 — Nominee — 1839 Awards
2025 — Honorable Mention — World Street Photography Awards (WSPA)
2025 — Second Place Award Recipient — International Photo Awards (IPA)
2025 — Bronze Winner — Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA)
2022 — First Place — Perspectives — American Photographic Artists (APA Chicago)
FILM
2023 — Best Film (February Award) — Reale Film Festival — The Curious Woods (2021)
2022 — Best Short Film — Great Message International Film Festival — The Curious Woods (2021)
2022 — Best Short Film — Global India International Film Festival — The Curious Woods (2021)
2022 — Best Nature & Environment Short (Achievement of Excellence) — TMIF Awards — The Curious Woods (2021)
2022 — Best Costume Design — New York International Women Festival — The Curious Woods (2021)
2022 — Best Director (October Award) — International Motion Picture Awards — The Curious Woods (2021)
2021 — Nominee: Best Female Director — Montreal Independent Film Festival — The Curious Woods (2021)
2020 — Best Editing (shared with Pavel Safonov) — Global Taj International Film Festival — The Language They Spoke (2019)
2019 — Best Experimental Film — L’Âge d’Or International Arthouse Film Festival — The Language They Spoke(2019)
AFFILIATIONS
2023–2024 — Co-Founder, Co-Executive Director, Head of Programming — World Culture Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2023, 2024 — Facilitator — ASMP-LA BRIDGE Photography Mentorship Program
2022–Present — Board of Directors — American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP)
2018–Present — Board of Directors — Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival
2018–Present — Professional Member — American Photographic Artists (APA)
2017–2018 — Creative Director — Rishikesh International Film Festival, India
EDUCATION
2007–2009 — Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Screenwriting — University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
2008 — Writing for the Screen — University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
2003–2007 — Bachelor of Science, Information Technology — Mumbai University, Mumbai, India
