Imran Perretta Named 2026 BAFTA Breakthrough, Supported by Netflix
The writer-director of Ish joins the 2026 U.K. BAFTA Breakthrough cohort, with his debut feature having won the audience award at the 2025 Venice Critics' Week.
Imran Perretta, writer-director of the film Ish, was revealed as a member of the 2026 U.K. BAFTA Breakthrough cohort, supported by Netflix, according to hollywoodreporter.com.
Ish is Perretta's debut feature and stars Farhan Hasnat, Yahya Kitana and Sudha Bhuchar. The film tells the story of two teenagers, Ish and Maram, confronted with police harassment and its repercussions, and was shot in Luton, near London.
In October 2025, Ish won the audience award at the Venice Critics' Week. The film has been on the festival circuit for more than a year and has since been released in cinemas, where it exceeded expectations at the box office. Activist-adjacent film organizations have also screened Ish in countries including Germany, America and Russia.
Perretta said he is currently working on music and an exhibition at Tate Britain titled the destructors, and is back to screenwriting.
Quick answers
Who stars in Ish?
Ish stars Farhan Hasnat, Yahya Kitana and Sudha Bhuchar.
What is Ish about?
The film tells the story of two teenagers, Ish and Maram, confronted with police harassment and its repercussions.
What did Ish win at Venice Critics' Week?
In October 2025, Ish won the audience award at the Venice Critics' Week.