BAFTA Breakthrough Writer-Director Says Ish Resonates Amid Authoritarian Turn

Writer and director Imran Perretta has been recognized as a member of the 2026 U.K. BAFTA Breakthrough cohort, a program supported by Netflix. The announcement highlights the growing prominence of his debut feature film, Ish, which has generated significant momentum on the international festival circuit over the past year.

Ish, which secured the audience award at the 2025 Venice Critics’ Week, stars Farhan Hasnat, Yahya Kitana, and Sudha Bhuchar. The narrative follows two teenage best friends, Ish and Maram, as they navigate the consequences of a police stop-and-search that puts their friendship under strain. The story is set in Luton, a city near London that often receives media attention for crime rather than its cultural vibrancy.

Perretta, who previously worked as a multi-disciplinary artist, noted that the process of creating a feature film was a novel experience for him. He explained that while the festival run was expected, the theatrical release felt like a new beginning rather than a conclusion. The film’s performance exceeded his initial projections, both in terms of critical reception and box office results, leading him to describe his current state as one of genuine happiness.

The film has attracted a diverse range of viewers, extending beyond traditional cinephiles to include activist groups and general audiences. Perretta observed that the movie has been screened at community and activist events in various countries, including Germany, the United States, and Russia. In Paris, programmers were eager to show the film during a period of civil unrest, citing its relevance to local debates on police power and community organizing.

A key factor in the film’s broad appeal, according to Perretta, is its exploration of themes that feel increasingly urgent in many Western nations. He pointed to a perceived authoritarian turn in countries such as America, France, Italy, and the U.K., where police powers have expanded or are wielded in ways that feel asymmetric. He described the experience of surveillance and police interaction as a universal phenomenon that sparks conversation regardless of the specific geographic setting.

Despite the global resonance, Perretta credits the film’s specificity to its location. He expressed a desire for Luton to be represented more frequently on screen, provided that the stories are told with fairness and truth. He encouraged other filmmakers to consider shooting in the area, describing it as an amazing place for cinematic exploration.

Looking ahead, Perretta is currently engaged in multiple creative projects. He is working on music-related endeavors and has an exhibition at Tate Britain titled The Destructors. The exhibition examines the complexities of coming of age for Asian Muslim men in Britain in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

In the realm of screenwriting, Perretta is developing a new project that focuses on property, land, and the British concept of ownership. He described the work as a political exploration of the social, emotional, and political frictions that arise from the leverage of ownership, noting that the benefits of such structures often accrue primarily to the ruling class.