Throughout the late 1990s Sen worked on numerous short films, before making his feature film debut with BENEATH CLOUDS in 2002. The film was based on Ivan Sen's own experiences of growing up in Alice Springs with an Aboriginal mother and absent European father. It won Sen global acclaim, screening at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and winning the Premiere First Movie Award at the 2002 Berlin Film Festival and the 2002 Best Director Award at the Australian Film Institute Awards. Ivan studied filmmaking at the Australian Film Television and Radio School, where he produced his first short films, working with the crew he continues to work with today. Sen was raised in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia.