Noumenon, A Short Documentary by Maya Theresia, Janna Kyllästinen

Noumenon is an experimental short film reflecting on the relation between reality and perception from a neuroscience perspective, and its parallels with the Hindu concept of maya, or cosmic illusion. Neuroscientist Anil K. Seth narrates his concept of controlled hallucination – how all perceptions are active constructions, brain-based best guesses at the nature of a world that is forever obscured behind a sensory veil. Through story and classical South Indian temple dance, Bharatanatyam, the film weaves in the Hindu philosophy of ‘maya’ – the powerful force sustaining the cosmic illusion of the phenomenal world as real.

Director Biography - Maya Theresia, Janna Kyllästinen

Janna is a documentary filmmaker in New York originally from Finland. In her films, she examines stories at the intersections of art, science, myth and memory, imbuing her experimental works with a distinct sensitivity for the abstract and metaphysical. Her works have screened at film festivals around the world, and published on platforms such as The Criterion Collection and The New York Times, among others.

Maya Theresia is a writer, director, and producer, who challenges convention. Born to Indo-Guyanese, African-American, German parents, and raised between the U.S. and Australia, Maya brings a fresh voice and a unique vision to her work. As a neuroscience researcher and artist, Maya explores the intersection of science and belief, of story and culture, and of experiment and cinema in her filmmaking. She made her directorial debut with Noumenon in 2024.