Ishtiaque's fascination with filmmaking began in 2005, as he started producing short films, assisting fellow directors in various roles, watching an array of movies, and delving into the world of film literature, his curiosity and passion for the craft unfolding in no particular order.
With a strong academic background in mathematics from Dhaka University, Ishtiaque further honed his skills by participating in the prestigious Berlinale Talent Campus in 2011, where he was recognized as a director-producer.
One of his notable achievements is the short film "720 Degrees", which holds the distinction of being the first and only Bangladeshi entry at the esteemed Venice International Film Festival, nominated for the Orizzonti Award. This film also received nominations at several other prominent film festivals, including Rotterdam, Chicago, Ankara, Oslo, and Moscow, and went on to win the HBO Short Film Award at the South Asian International Film Festival in New York, USA.
Currently, Ishtiaque is working on a segment of the omnibus film project "Southeast Loves", a collaborative effort between four renowned Asian directors, including Aditya Assarat, Vimukthi Jayasundara, Phan Dang Di, and Ifa Isfansyah, produced by a team from Japan, Singapore, and France. This project has been selected for the Asian Project Market 2011 at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea.
Throughout his journey, Ishtiaque has had the opportunity to travel to various countries, including Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Singapore, and South Korea. Despite his extensive travels, he continues to call Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, his hometown.
