Ish (15)

This beautifully observed coming-of-age drama captures the complexities of friendship, identity and belonging through the everyday lives of two boys growing up in Luton.

Ish lives with his South Asian father Naeem, sister Samira and grandmother Nanu, still adjusting to the loss of his mother. His closest friend is Maram, a slightly older Palestinian boy with whom he explores the countryside, picks blackberries and watches planes pass overhead. But Maram's behaviour changes when older boys are around, and after he is stopped by plainclothes police, tensions begin to unsettle their friendship

Shot in shimmering black and white, first-time filmmaker Imran Perretta creates an evocative portrait of contemporary Britain, allowing larger issues around racism, masculinity and surveillance to emerge naturally from the characters' lives. News reports from Gaza and the use of facial recognition add a wider political dimension, while the inventive score and expressive cinematography give the film a distinctive texture.

The young cast bring an impressive naturalism, with Hasnat particularly affecting as a boy absorbing more than he can articulate. Rather than forcing its themes, Perretta finds their impact in everyday moments, creating a thoughtful and increasingly resonant portrait of growing up in a complicated world.