40 Scene
ARTS CORNER
LAURIE'S ALLOTMENT
Iris Prize Film Festival 2021
Autumn greetings
) The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival has unveiled its full programme celebrating global diversity and its £30,000 Iris Prize, which is supported by the Michael Bishop Foundation.
) It has been a strange year weatherwise on the allotment with unusual periods of rain and then dry spells, which doesn’t really sound strange at all but if they don’t come in the order and quantity that I require then I feel I have the right to call it ‘strange’.
WITH BRIAN BUTLER
BY LAURIE LAVENDER
Nineteen countries, including Iran, Brazil, the Philippines, Bulgaria and South Korea are represented. As well as live screenings, the festival promises music workshops and panel discussions. Now in its 15th year, the festival runs from October 5-10 and online until October 31.
Other films that caught my eye were: Lara Zeldan’s new short A Beautiful Form To See, which celebrates the female body, and Matthew David’s Skinny Fat, which looks at a gay man who confronts his belly fat in a shop changing room, reigniting memories of his abusive past relationship. It also features Welsh acting icon Ruth Madoc. D For tickets and the full programme, visit: www.irisprize.org
SAGE
CHIVES
PARSLEY
BASIL
HARVESTED BEDS
BEANS
SWEETCORN
On the ‘potential’ front we have raspberries, leeks and sweetcorn.
LEEKS
The UK documentary Rebel Dykes offers a celebration of a punk lesbian collective, who fought for LGBTQ+ rights in the ’70s and ’80s, taking in the peace camp at Greenham Common and the abseiling into the House of Lords. The film will be the centrepiece of a day of related activities.
REBEL DYKES
SWAN SONG
Swan Song stars legendary German actor Udo Kier and Dynasty diva Linda Evans, alongside Michael Urie. A retired flamboyant hairdresser is paid to give one last hair-do to a dead woman. It’s outrageously funny.
This is the first year we have filled up harvested beds with green manure which you just plant, grow and dig back in.
BEANS
I watched a couple of trailers to sample what’s on offer. Saint-Narcisse is a gloriously sinister movie starring Canadian actor Felix Antoine-Duval playing identical twins, separated at birth and unaware of their past history until their meeting creates... well, watch it to find out.
Our courgette plants continue to produce at an alarming rate and the beans are just getting into full swing.
COURGETTE
Screenings will be in the Chapter and also for the first time at Premiere Cinemas in the heart of Cardiff’s queer night-life. Iris director Berwyn Rowlands told me: “This year’s festival offers those who are ready to reconnect and meet like-minded people to watch amazing films in person a lot of choice”. But he also said that last year’s online access will continue for those not yet ready to meet face to face.
Our herbs are doing well, we have basil, parsley, chives and sage, not to mention a selection of mints and thyme.
RASPBERRIES
There are also 15 filmmakers nominated for the Best British Short Film prize, supported by Film4 and Pinewood Studios. This year the gender balance of makers is 50/50 and includes trans and non-binary individuals. Hove-based Channel 4 senior executive Tim Highsted is chair of the judging panel. He told me: “The first year of the Iris Best British Shorts has been a resounding success. I can’t wait to see this year’s new line-up at the festival to be reminded of the singular talent working in British short films”.
The crop that has suffered the most because of this is our non-existent tomatoes! Nerry a one! We have, however, had success elsewhere and have further potential successes to share.
The insects seem to be pleased with our flowers which is always a good sign although we are hoping to get some ‘Goat’s Beard’ because on a recent trip to Scotland we noticed that the bees were mad for it, but more about Scotland in our next article. My thanks to Tina Thyme for photos etc.
