Kannan is an award winning British–Sri Lankan documentary filmmaker. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The New Yorker, AOL Originals, and broadcast on BBC and Al Jazeera English. Kannan’s films have screened at international film festivals and art museums. His practice focusses on stories that highlight the long-term impact of conflict, viewed through a human rights lens. His approach is immersive, rigorous and reflective, working on films after years of intensive research and production. His last film, Sri Lanka’s Rebel Wife, was shortlisted for best documentary at the DIG Investigative film awards, Modena, Italy in 2022. Kannan’s previous film, The Tent (2019) was the focus of his British solo exhibition at Yorkshire Contemporary (formerly The Tetley), Leeds. Kannan studied experimental psychology at the University of Cambridge and holds a masters degree in international human rights law from the University of Oxford, focusing on new media and conflict. He taught documentary film and conflict at Cornell University’s Department of Asian Studies, and has lectured and engaged students about his filmmaking practice.