Imran Perretta

(He/Him)

Imran’s breakthrough project is the film ISH.

A love of film, music videos and contemporary art have all shaped the trajectory of Imran’s career so far, with his passion for combining a mix of mediums evident in his work. Having started, and still maintaining a career in the contemporary art world, his breakthrough film ISH came about after two people from BBC Film saw one of his installations and encouraged him to think about what a narrative work could look like. Now six years later the first idea he spoke about with them, ISH, is a reality.

Imran’s breakthrough project ISH has been a labour of love and follows a pair of 12-year-old best friends navigating childhood against a backdrop of political tension and personal loss after a police stop and search. Like the works that inspire him this filmmaker debut is a lesson in the power of small stories “that speak to something much bigger, both politically and emotionally.” A portrait of childhood friendship, but also a portrait of Luton, a town that is dear to Imran’s heart and one that he highlights has been continually misrepresented in the media.

In his own words:

“I always say that art school is the best film school and this is where my journey started in earnest and I am fortunate to come from a rich tradition of artist’s moving image that is often overlooked in the UK filmmaking scene. There is a commitment within this world to pushing experimental and political filmmaking and I see my work in narrative features as an extension of these concerns. In other words, my practice as an artist and as a narrative filmmaker are inexorable from each other.”