Irshad Ashraf

Irshad Ashraf is a British documentary film maker with a reputation for making stylish, visually innovative films.

After studying film theory in London in the mid 1990s, Irshad moved to Tokyo to teach English while finding time to make short films and take photographs.

The BBC film network quotes Irshad as saying "My first film happened when I moved to Tokyo for a couple of years in 1997 to teach English. The insidious traingrind of Ridley Scott's grey drizzled distopia encroached deep inside my head, nag nag nagging away. I had an Omen 2 moment, realised the power of dreams And, using a friend's camcorder and VCR for editing, made a film about the sensory avalanche that is Tokyo."

Urban beauty is a theme in the visual language of Irshad's films. Most recently reflected in the critically acclaimed ITV documentary [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5664653194971017112 The Muslim Jesus] which scored eery images of urban London lansdscapes with haunting arabic recitation.

Irshad cut his directing teeth in the late 90s making short films for BBC and ITV. He pioneered the "psychic detective" style of Derek Acorah making over 25 shorts with the now famous psychic before going on to make shorts for the BBC flagship travel show Holiday.

Irshad's documentary work includes a Channel 4 documentary about American film director Richard Linklater, a Channel 4 film about collectors of contemporary art in New York, a BBC documentary about Pakistan's entertainment industry and an independant film about rock band Elbow's tour of Cuba in 2004.

As a producer he has made Bollywood for Beginners for Channel 4 and developed The Islamic History of Europe for the BBC.

Irshad's work for the [http://www.rts.org.uk/ RTS] -award-winning arts and culture series Desi DNA shows innovative use of stills and visual imagery. His documentary films are marked by a natural cinematic beauty and great pathos which are gaining him a reputation as a thoughtful and talented film maker.

elected Credits

[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5664653194971017112 The Muslim Jesus] ITV The lives of Jesus and Mary as narrated in The Quran

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67IlH4zhj9Q Karachi Uncovered] BBC Scottish Actor Atta Yaqub investigates Pakistan's media boom

[http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/A/art_show/linklater/index.html St. Richard of Austin] - CHANNEL 4 Film about American Film Director [http://www.detourfilm.com Richard Linklater] . UK Channel 4

[http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/A/art_show/why_buy_art/index.html Why Do People Buy Art?] - Channel 4 Film about New York Art Collectors. UK [http://www.channel4.com Channel 4]

[http://www.mavericktv.co.uk/broadcast_view.php?id=161 Director's Debut: Stephen Tompkinson's Story] BBC The British TV star directs a BBC drama

[http://www.steal-life.com/features/56elbow.html elbow:cuba gigs] - Film about the British rock band [http://www.elbow.co.uk Elbow] touring Cuba.

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/asianlife/desidna/ Desi DNA] - Arts and Culture Series. [http://www.bbc.co.uk BBC]

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/islamic-history-europe.shtml An Islamic History of Europe] with Rageh Omaar, feature length documentary for [http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour BBC 4]

[http://www.channel4learning.net/support/programmenotes/micro/dumpyourmates/ How to Dump Your Mates] CHANNEL 4 Teenagers improve their social circle with the aid of a top psychologist

[http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv_and_radio/story/0,,1177456,00.html Taxi Nights] - ITV Observational Documentary series about cab drivers in Manchester, England. UK [http://www.itv.com ITV]

[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328903/fullcredits Bollywood for Beginners] - CHANNEL 4 Documentary about mainstream Indian Cinema.

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/holiday/destinations/barcaspain/ The Holiday Show] - BBC Travel Series.

External links

* [http://www.productionbase.co.uk/cv/irshadashraf Irshad Ashraf]
* [http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/artist/details.php?id=2197 The Saatchi Gallery] Irshad's photographic work
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6830332522688491847 Clips of Irshad's work]
* [http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/podcasts/2007/08/islamophonic_for_wednesday_aug_2.html Interview in The Guardian]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,2151358,00.html Press for The Muslim Jesus]
* [http://www.elbow.co.uk/ Elbow]