Ishu Patel was born in Gujarat, India and received a graphics degree in Basel, Switzerland as well as a scholarship from the prestigious U.S. based Rockefeller Foundation before moving to Canada to work at the National Film Board. His interest in the mystical nature of life fit nicely into the Board's environment, where such thinking artists as Tom Daly, René Jodoin and Colin Low were being employed. That said, Patel likely achieved his best results working with producer Derek Lamb whose practical nature forced the South Asian artist to structure his narratives as skilfully as he did his animation techniques. Though Patel is a sophisticated person, his origins in India, choice of subjects and working colleagues mark him as a pioneer. Patel has used imagery from Buddhist philosophy and Indian myths in his tales. His choices of such remarkable -- and remarkably different -- musicians as U.S. jazz flutist Herbie Mann, legendary Japanese koto player and composer Michio Miyagi, Romanian pan pipes player Gheorghe Zamfir and Indian drummer J.P. Ghosh to create soundtracks for the films mark Ishu Patel as a "world" animation director in a time when such figures are just beginning to receive prominence. It is likely that Patel's work will enjoy an enduring status thanks to his cross-cultural creativity as well as his brilliant technique and philosophical subject matter. At the NFB from 1971 until 1993, in addition to his nominated films, Patel's other notable credits include HOW DEATH CAME TO EARTH (1971), PERSPECTRUM (1974), AFTERLIFE (1978), TOP PRIORITY (1982), THE WANDERER (1988) and DIVINE FATE (1993).  Nominated for Short Films (Animated Films) 1977: THE BEAD GAME - Producer  Nominated for Short Films (Animated Films) 1984: PARADISE - Producer 2 nominations