Director finds first-time actors for acclaimed film

The director of a critically acclaimed new film found his young cast of first-time actors by visiting schools and youth clubs.

Imran Perretta's debut film, Ish, follows two 12-year-old friends from Luton's South Asian and Middle Eastern communities, whose relationship is disrupted after a police stop and search.

In an eight-month casting process, the filmmaker visited sports clubs and community centres across Bedfordshire to find his actors to ensure the movie felt "authentic".

He said: "I think that Ish is a film that is trying to be a bit of a portrait of Luton... if you're going to do a portrait of a place, the people have got to come from there as well."

The film, which was released on Friday, has earned positive reviews since it was first screened at festivals last year.

It has been described as "the British debut movie of the year" by The Guardian, while critic Mark Kermode called it "one of my favourite films of the year" on his podcast Kermode and Mayo's Take.

Lead characters Ish and Maram are played by newcomers and childhood friends Farhan Hasnat and Yahya Kitana.

In the black-and-white film, Maram is dragged into a police van while Ish runs away, leaving their friendship fractured by what the director said was seen as a "grave betrayal".

Making the film, Perrata drew on his own experience of being stopped and searched in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

Perrata, who is an artist and musician, told BBC Three Counties Radio the film highlights the "solidarity and care" young people show each other while growing up in what could feel like a "hostile environment".

Luton Borough Council said Ish was shot in 26 locations across Luton, including Bury Park, the Busway, Wardown Park, The Vale Cemetery and Kidney Wood.

The core cast of boys were all found in the local area.

Perrata said: "We sort of went through all the schools and youth clubs and sports clubs and in Luton and Dunstable, around that part of Bedfordshire, and eventually came up with these five boys, including the two leads.

"I'm super, super proud of them because they've never acted before, never considered acting and never auditioned... It's quite extraordinary that none of them have ever been on set or even been in a play at school.

"It just shows you that if you look hard enough, there's extraordinary young people all over the country."

The South London director chose Luton as the setting of his film as he has family members who live in the area.

He said: "I love Luton... It's been overlooked, and I think it's been associated with a lot of negative headlines in the media and stuff.

"For me, the community, that's at the heart of the place, it is just incredibly beautiful and soulful and also, frankly, just not represented."

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