Udit Duseja is a London-based sound designer and composer specializing in crafting immersive sonic experiences across film, installations, and documentaries. His work explores sound as a cinematic language to shape audiences' subconscious narratives. A member of BAFTA Connect and the Motion Picture Sound Editors guild, his notable projects include All Light Everywhere, Yeh Ballet, and collaborations with John Akomfrah.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background in filmmaking? What inspired you to pursue a career in the film industry?
I'm a London-based sound designer with over 15 years of experience working across the UK, India, and the US. What inspires me is collaboration, working closely with artists, directors, editors, composers, and fellow sound professionals to create something distinctive. Over the years, I've worked on independent features, documentaries, multichannel film installations and more recently on online streaming shows.
My path into film wasn't straightforward. Growing up in India with Hindustani classical music gave me a different way of thinking about sound, while my time around filmmakers in Mumbai during college opened my eyes to the possibilities of cinema. This led me to the University of Edinburgh, where I studied sound design, graduating in 2007. Since then, I've worked extensively in London and have been fortunate to work with some amazing filmmakers and artists from around the world.
What does being part of Berlinale Talents mean to you? Is there something about the city that resonates with your creative process?
Being part of Berlinale Talents is a brilliant opportunity to connect with a global community of creatives. Berlin’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant artistic scene provide a uniquely inspiring backdrop that fuels many artist’s creative processes.
There's something about the city's fearless approach to sonic exploration, whether it's in underground venues or contemporary classical spaces, that aligns perfectly with my own interest in blurring the lines between sound and music.
How do you balance expressing your unique voice while creating work that resonates with audiences around the world?
In film, every project is a constant dialogue with directors, with artists, with the narrative itself. My unique sonic signature isn't about imposing a rigid style, but about finding the most compelling auditory language for each story. When I'm collaborating on a project, it's about discovering where a bird or a cricket sound might become a rhythm, or where ambient wind noise can transform into score. My goal is to create sonic landscapes that feel both precise and poetic; sound design that doesn't just serve the story but shapes its very essence.
This compositional approach to sound has become my signature while remaining adaptable to each film's unique needs. Whether I'm working on an intimate drama or a larger production, I'm always searching for those moments where sound transcends its traditional role, creating audio experiences that resonate emotionally with audiences.
This year’s theme is 'Listen Courageously – Cinematic Narratives in Times of Dissonance.' How does the theme connect to your work and the stories you want to tell?
Listening is at the heart of what I do. It isn't just hearing, which is a passive act. It's about diving into those uncomfortable spaces between sounds and stories. In my practice, I see dissonance as a reflection of the world we live in; its conflicts, its struggles, its truth. While many filmmakers explore these themes visually, sound's invisible nature allows it to reach conscious or subconscious places that images sometimes cannot.
Whenever a project allows, I'm passionate about creating soundscapes that challenge expectations, pushing audiences into moments of sonic tension.I strive to communicate in unexpected ways, precisely because the audience cannot anticipate it. Essentially, it thrills me to invite listeners to experience the unheard ‘courageously’ through this invisible but powerful medium.