Pitasanna Shanmugathas is the director, writer, and producer of NEELAN: UNSILENCED.

Pitasanna Shanmugathas has a background in law, global affairs, journalism, and documentary filmmaking.  He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Windsor Faculty of Law. Prior to that, Pitasanna received  a Master of Global Affairs degree from the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts  degree in political science and criminology from the University of Toronto. His work focuses on international human rights, foreign policy, and social justice issues, particularly related to Sri Lanka, Palestine, and Canada’s role in global affairs.

Shanmugathas is the co-director of a six-part documentary series titled   "Truth to the Powerless: An Investigation into Canada's Foreign Policy,"  which interviews Canadian politicians, academics, and activists to examine Canada’s colonial history, its role in international conflicts, and the impact of its foreign policy on global communities.  Inspired by progressive thinkers like Martin Luther King Jr,  Noam Chomsky, and Yves Engler, he began this project in 2019 during his postgraduate studies to critically analyze Canada’s international influence, including the exploitative practices of Canadian mining companies and the country’s troubling alignment with U.S. foreign policy to suppress democracies in the Global South. 

The series has been discussed on platforms like the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute, MintPress News, Neutrality Studies, Green and Red Podcast, 1+1,  Orinoco Tribune, and The Taylor Report. As a journalist, Shanmugathas has contributed to outlets such as JURIST, Sri Lanka Guardian, Truthout, DailyFT, and Colombo Telegraph. His work includes interviews with notable figures like Noam, Chomsky, Canadian UN Ambassador Bob Rae,  Vijay Prashad, Jeffrey Sachs,  Rev. Bernice King (daughter of Martin Luther King Jr),  Kashmiri academic Hafsa Kanjwal,  and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. His articles cover topics like the Sri Lankan civil war, Palestinian rights, Canadian foreign policy, and global human rights abuses. 

Shanmugathas is an active advocate for refugee and minority rights. Since 2014, he has volunteered with the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, providing support to refugees fleeing persecution. He also led a social media group with over 2,500 members to raise awareness about human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, interviewing politicians, journalists, and activists. In 2017, he launched a petition that was presented in the Canadian Parliament, urging the Trudeau government to accept Rohingya refugees. 

Shanmugathas has also been involved in peace activism and refugee advocacy through Save the Children Canada, STAND Canada, and the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace. 

Shanmugathas'  work extends to public speaking and media appearances, including discussions on the legacies of British colonialism in Sri Lanka and the impact of student protests. 

Prior to creating this documentary on Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam's life and legacy, Pitasanna wrote numerous articles speaking out against human rights abuses committed by all parties to the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict as well as advocating for a federal solution to address the grievances of the island's diverse communities.