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Patel Ishu
Award-winning filmmaker Ishu Patel, who has international recognition for his innovative animation techniques, had one ambition as a child in his native India: to work at the National Film Board of Canada, the home of Norman McLaren. While many youngsters have this dream, Patel's relentless drive and talent put it within his reach.
Patel, who joined the NFB in 1970, studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baroda, India; the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India; and the Allgemeine Gewerbeschule in Basel, Switzerland. He won a Rockefeller scholarship (1968) to study in the U.S., but deferred it until he was able to go to the NFB.
Patel's films are multiple award winners that continue to receive top honours: for example, The Bead Game/Histoire de perles, British Academy Award (1978) and an Oscar nomination (1978); Afterlife/Apres la vie, the Canadian Film Awards (1978), the Grands Prix, Annecy, France (1978).
Top Priority (1981) periodically reappears at festivals in Poland, Germany, Portugal and Italy. Paradise/Paradis (1984) won such awards as the Silver Bear, Berlin Film Festival (1985); 1st Prize, Los Angeles International Animation Festival (1985); and an Oscar nomination (1985).
Patel, who strives to break new ground, maintains an ongoing competition with himself. In the phantasmagoric Paradise/Paradis, he used a variety of techniques to create images that have the depth of holograms. In his latest film, Divine Fate, Patel examines the struggle of human spirituality in a world of material values.
Patel also did the animation on the documentary The Tibetan Book of the Dead (1994).
Filmography
1971 How Death Came to Earth Director/animator
1972 About Concept and Contraception Director/animator
1974 About Puberty and Reproduction Director/animator
1975 About VD Director/animator
1976 Perspectrum/Perspectre Director/animator
1976 Taxation clips (4) Director/animator
1977 Bead Game/Histoire de perles Director/animator
1978 Afterlife/Après la vie Director/animator/
producer
1978 Logo for the 1978 International Animation Film Festival, Ottawa Director/animator/ producer
1979 This is Me/Moi je pense Animator
1981 Top Priority/Priorité absolue Director/animator/producer
1981 Logo for the 17th International Tournée of Animation Director/animator/
producer
1984 Paradise/Paradis Director/animator/producer
