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| Ish |
The second Muslim International Film Festival came to a close in London yesterday with the announcement of its prizewinners.
Winning Best Feature for his début full length work, Ish, director Imran Peretta said "We are absolutely delighted...Ish is a very personal film but one which also speaks to the difficult times we are currently living through, and the need for MIFF feels more vital now than ever. We’re thrilled that our film is connecting with audiences."
Ish explores the friendship between two boys who fall foul of racial profiling, experiencing a traumatic stop and search incident which affects them very differently. The jury gave a special mention to Roqia, which explores Algeria's Black Decade through the medium of occult horror.
Taking the prize for Best Short was My Brother, My Brother, which explores the life course of a pair of conjoined twins. Abdelrahman Dnewar, who co-directed with his broher Saad Dnewar, spoke of his joy at the way the film was connecting with audiences around the world. There was a special mention for Arsalan Motavali's Cameraman.
As previously announced, the festival's Trailblazer Award went to casting director Shaheen Baig, who has contributed to films as diverse as Calm With Horses, Lady Macbeth and I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning. "I feel so lucky to work in my dream job and to collaborate creatively with artists every day is a privilege," she said. "Growing up in Birmingham with a working class Pakistani Muslim father underpins the choices I often make, his love of community, fairness and respect is embedded in me, not to mention the importance of positive and progressive representation."
Wrapping up, festival director Sajid Varda said "The response to MIFF 2026 has been truly overwhelming...We leave inspired by the stories we've shared, the conversations we've sparked and the community we've built together. We can't wait to welcome everyone back next year as we continue discovering worlds and changing perspectives."
