Welcome
- to the festival celebrating global stories and Cardiff charm.
And so, just like that, the 19th edition of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival is here. In person in Cardiff from the 13th through to the 19th of October, and on-line across the UK until 7th November.
More LGBTQ+ stories are becoming available on mainstream platforms but the Iris Prize continues to be important and relevant as we share authentic stories that the mainstream can sometimes be accused of ignoring. And at Iris you can get to meet the filmmakers!
I appreciate the world can feel like a dark place and our trans siblings are still often subjected to prejudice, hate crime and other horrors. It is inevitable that Iris’ programme reflects this. However, in the spirit of defiance, confidence and celebration I ask you to join us at the festival to also experience some amazing uplifting, funny and sexy LGBTQ+ stories, meet talented directors, actors and writers, party hard and experience Cardiff charm.
This catalogue is the perfect start to your journey with Iris and on our website, you can find even more information about our programme of 13 feature films, 14 programmes of shorts, talks, Industry Day and other activities including our first Best British day on Friday 17 October.
Iris couldn’t happen without the army of funders, sponsors, volunteers and filmmakers who share our stories –and to you, our audience. To you all, Iris gives a huge “thank-you”.
Enjoy Iris 2025
Berwyn Rowlands Festival Director
Sponsors & Funders
Principle Funders:
Funders:
Sponsors:
Partners:
How to Iris
Bringing in some of the best filmmakers from around the globe, the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival celebrates queer excellence, transforming Cardiff into a hub of LGBTQ+ talent and storytelling. From Monday 13 to Sunday 19 October in Stadium Plaza and Chapter, come along, get a drink at the bar and watch some films, talk about films and repeat.
Iris will be attended by many of the filmmakers, giving you the chance to meet the creative forces behind the films you watch. You can learn about their processes, and hear anecdotes, (many hilarious and surprising). Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker yourself or just curious, it is a great opportunity to learn more about the craft and widen your network with the Iris Prize community.
Grab your passes or individual tickets to join us. In addition to individual tickets for each screening or talk we offer day passes – allowing you to see everything on one specific day; weekend passes, or week-long full festival passes. This full festival pass gives access to all screenings and events throughout the week, including the legendary Iris parties.
Can’t make it to the event in person as much as you would like? Then no worries: Iris can come to you. All of the shorts and more are online at https://watch.eventive.org/irisprize2025 . Each programme is pay-what-you-can, with a minimum donation of £1. Or you can buy an online pass for £10 to gain access to everything until the 7 November.
Everyone is welcome to be an Iris Prize Member, which does grant you certain privileges, such as discounts at the bar and discounts with our partner restaurants.
Going into its 19th festival, the celebration is not to be missed. Iris is an excellent opportunity to enjoy LGBTQ+ films with your community, meet and network with filmmakers and other film-lovers, and celebrate what it means to be part of such a wonderful community. Grab your tickets and passes from the Iris Prize website (https://irisprize.org/2025-box-office) and come be part of the fun!
Full pass (access to everything Iris -including Industry Day - from Opening Night on Monday 13 October to Sunday 19 October)
Industry Day (access to our programme of talks and workshops plus film screenings on Wednesday 15 October)
Weekend pass (access to everything Iris from Best British day on Friday 17 October to Sunday 19 October)
Day pass (for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday)
Day pass (for Friday)
Day pass (for Saturday)
£160.00
£50.00
£90.00
£25.00
£35.00
£30.00 Feature films £8.00 (£7.00)
Short film programmes £7.00 (£6.00)
Opening Night - film programme and party £15.00 (£14.00) Best British winner's announcement and party (Friday)
Saturday party (Saturday)
(£4.00)
Access
Iris seeks to share LGBTQ+ stories with as large an audience as possible so we want our events to be accessible to all.
We’re working to remove barriers so that your time with us is as relaxed as possible. Our venues are wheelchair accessible and assistance dogs are welcome. You can find more detailed information about access at our venues on our website at https://irisprize.org/access
Cinema Exhibitors’ Association and Hynt cards
We recognise both access schemes which allow you an additional, free ticket for a carer or essential companion. Simply select an Access ticket when booking on-line or ask at our box office.
BSL Interpretation, Audio Description and Relaxed screenings
We offer BSL interpretation for the introduction and question and answer session during the second screening of each of the Best British Short programmes when they are shown with open, descriptive captions in English. BSL interpretation is also provided during the award announcements. We’re able to offer audio description for people with sight loss for some of our feature film programmes as well as a programme of short film. And some presentations will be Relaxed screenings, where the auditorium won’t be dark, sound levels will be lower and you’ll have freedom to move around.
Look out for the symbols:
Audio Description available
BSL Interpreted introduction and Q&A
Descriptive captions on screen
Relaxed performance (lower sound, adjusted lighting, movement allowed)
Quiet Space
We’ll have a dedicated quiet space – a low sensory environment designed to offer comfort and respite if you need a moment to decompress or a quiet space to regroup.
Welcome from our Chair
Team Iris continues to inspire.
Last year’s festival was a triumph, and I want to thank Berwyn and the entire team for once again delivering Iris with heart, creativity, and resilience. Whether it’s navigating logistical challenges or supporting one another through personal trials, Team Iris never falters. Their commitment to LGBTQ+ storytelling is unwavering—and more vital than ever.
We live in a time when LGBTQ+ communities in many parts of the world face growing hostility and erasure. Against this backdrop, Iris stands as a beacon: a place where queer voices are not only heard but celebrated. The work of Iris is not just about films—it’s about visibility, solidarity, and joy.
This past year, Iris has continued to push boundaries. From expanding the Pink Portraits series to new partners (see a selection of this year’s portraits in conjunction with Bad Wolf in this catalogue), to launching fresh outreach initiatives, to bringing Iris on the Move to even more communities across the UK and beyond—every step has been a reminder of the power of film to connect and transform.
And none of this would be possible without the incredible network of supporters who make Iris happen: funders, sponsors, jurors, volunteers, and hosts. You are the lifeblood of this festival, and I thank you deeply. I’m looking forward to another unforgettable celebration of global LGBTQ+ stories this October in Cardiff. If you see me at Iris, please say hello—I’d love to hear what this festival means to you.
Tom Abell Chair
Iris Prize Outreach Limited.
Vue Screen 4
Opening Night
Iris Prize opening night is like Christmas, a birthday, wedding and holiday with your best friends all rolled into one (Ed: I think this is an exaggeration). Angharad Mair from Heno on S4C will guide us through an evening of celebration as we open the 19th edition of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival celebrating global LGBTQ+ stories and Cardiff charm. The programme is full to bursting and after the screenings we will be partying with our friends from the Co-op and dancing with Welsh Chicks - a DJ duo formed of Molly Palmer and Daniel Abrams.
Snapped Strings
Produced through Every Child A Filmmaker Project with IntoFilm and Willows High School | Wales, UK
Estranged by grief, a teenage musician and his distant father begin to heal their fractured relationship when an unexpected event forces them to finally confront their shared pain.
Jackie
Dir: Emily Sargent | Scotland, UK
This short documentary explores the life of Jackie Forster, a groundbreaking yet largely unknown LGBT+ rights campaigner who ran an underground donor sperm operation to help the first queer women have children. This is the third film to be made with the Iris Prize Documentary Film Finance Fund sponsored by OUTFlix.
Y Tolldy
Dir: Al Parri | Wales, UK
A Welsh language horror comedy commissioned by S4C.
Behind the Scenes: Pink Portraits at Bad Wolf
Dir: Harrison Williams | Wales, UK
We take a look behind the scenes as photographer Siria Ferer captures portraits of some of the LGBTQ+ individuals bringing some of the biggest television dramas to our screens with Cardiff-based production company Bad Wolf.
Never, Never, Never
Dir: John Sheedy¬¬¬ | UK, Australia
Set in a conservative Welsh fishing village, this poignant film follows two young men, Henrick and Arwyn, as they navigate their unspoken love for each other.
This is the thirteenth film made by a winner of the Iris Prize.
Never, Never, Never (2025)
Tues 14 Oct
10:00
Vue Screen 2
Adjoa Andoh in Conversation
Join British screen icon Adjoa Andoh, known for Bridgerton, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Casualty, and Doctor Who, in this exclusive in-conversation event. Celebrated not only for her powerful performances but also as a passionate champion for inclusivity, Adjoa shares insights from her remarkable career and discusses the importance of diverse voices in today’s screen industry.
Vue Screen 2
Young People's Progamme
58 mins
This collection of short films competing for the Iris Prize 2025 have been collated for young people in South Wales to view, and to decide on the winner of the Youth Jury Award.
Birthdays
Dir: Adrian Jalily | Denmark | 19 mins
Marlon is confronted with his son's otherness as he doesn't get an invite for any of the birthday parties in his class.
Witness
Dir: Radha Mehta and Saif Jaan | USA | 14 mins
A revered small-town imam faces a crisis of faith when he must choose between upholding the values of his mosque or protecting the safety and spiritual belonging of a trans man congregant.
Game Rules
Dir: Christian Zetterberg | Sweden | 12 mins
A youth handball team is about to participate in their first major tournament. As they aim for the top, facing professional players, talent scouts and sponsors, the game is suddenly interrupted by adults questioning who’s really allowed to play.
With Love, Lottie
Dir: Lily Drummond | Australia | 13 mins
When a disabled teenager fears she will never find love, she enlists her friends to become her mentors in the unpredictable world of dating and discovers that love can come in unexpected ways and different forms.
Witness (2024)
Tue 14 Oct
14:00
Vue Screen 1
More Than Nuclear
70 mins
Meeting the parents, issues of guardianship, navigating illness, and looking for somewhere to call home. This programme explores some of the forms that family can take.
My Senses Are All I Have To Offer
Dir: Isadora Neves Marques | Portugal | 20 mins
My Senses Are All I Have to Offer is a story about family and expectations, class difference and psychological isolation, in the tone of a subtle science fiction.
Toad Song
Dir: Qin Qin | USA | 15 mins
Xu Letian was called in by his school after bringing tadpoles that scared a little girl. As the tadpoles begin to die and a family secret is accidentally revealed, Xu Letian must find a new home for himself and the tadpoles.
While We Still Have Time
Dir: Ava Grimshaw-Hall | Australia | 15 mins
A documentary filmmaker embarks on a poignant journey to connect with her sperm donor father John, as he battles an aggressive cancer. Together, they explore their unique bond, seeking understanding and closure amidst life’s uncertainties.
Dandelion
Dir: Fiona Obertinca | USA | 20 mins
In 1970s Los Angeles, rebellious queer teen Margaret gets thrown out of yet another foster placement and finds herself in the company of a mysterious social worker who’s tasked with finding her a new home before the break of dawn. At odds and forced to travel the city together, Margaret realizes that running may not be her only option.
Toad Song (2025)
Vue Screen 2
85 mins Astronaut (2025)
Community, Education and Micro-shorts 1
After Everything.
Dir: Olivia Phillips, Connie Beck. 7 mins. Astronaut.
Dir: Alex Monaghan. 15 mins. Dog Boy.
Dir: Lee Campbell. 2 mins.
Dysgu Hedfan.
Dir: Juliette Manon. 12 mins. Falling Stars.
Dir: Laura Bee Jones. 1 min.
In Search of Colour.
Dir: Lucy Bateman. 9 mins. Inside Voices.
Dir: Grace Tompkins. 1 min. Never End.
Dir: Nihat Seven. 5 mins. One Day.
Dir: Lee Campbell. 2 mins.
Petit Pierrot.
Dir: Becky Downing. 2 mins. Poltergeists.
Dir: Alicia Brown.1 min.
Queering The Tide.
Dir: Bean Hazel Sawyer. 2 mins.
QUEERTAWE - The Documentary.
Dir: Callum Bruce-Phillips. 26 mins.
Vue Screen 2
Community, Education and Micro-shorts 2
79 mins
Reel Queer’s Real Queers.
Dir: Alixir Turnbull-Crane. 12 mins. Sappho Girls.
Dir: Alessia Naccari. 2 mins. Searching For Sunday.
Dir: Georgia Day. 2 mins.
Speak Little One (The World Is Listening).
Dir: Louise Ndibwirende. 15 mins. That Other Me. Dir: Bradley Wilson. 2 mins. The Gardener. Dir: Efa Blosse-Mason, Sofie Marsh. 1 min.
The Palace At The End Of The World. Dir: Bradley Wilson. 12 mins.
The Ravishing Astonishing Great Magician.
Dir: Baysalt GUI, Mickey Fortuna. 13 mins. To Dance With Drag Queens. Dir: David Hutchison. 2 mins. Turing.
Dir: Sophie Jayne Doyle. 4 mins.
Uncharted (The Cartographer).
Dir: Lee Campbell. 1 min. Virtia.
Dir: Arina Viazenkina. 13 mins.
Virita (2025)
Vue Screen 1
PRIZE
Faith
65 mins
A betrayal at the mosque, a cruel trial, concerned parishioners, and a young actor striving for perfectionism. These films explore queerness and belief.
Witness
Dir: Radha Mehta and Saif Jaan | USA | 14 mins
A revered small-town imam faces a crisis of faith when he must choose between upholding the values of his mosque or protecting the safety and spiritual belonging of a trans man congregant.
The Hammer Of Witches
Dir: Marin Håskjold | Norway | 15 mins
A group of women are facing charges for witchery, and if sentenced, face execution. In their hunt for scapegoats the prosecuting authorities go beyond questioning – applying tests and torture methods to get the confessions needed to progress to trials. The accused know they won’t escape this alive, but can they somehow preserve their reputation?
Fr. Brennan Is Having A Breakdown!
Dir: Luke Faulkner | Ireland | 12 mins
Fr. Brennan has been acting rather strange lately, and who better than Man of the Year Richard Hennessy to whip the naïve parish priest into shape?
The
Passion According To Karim
Dir: Axel Würsten | France | 24 mins
A Scout patrol arrives to give a performance of the Crucifixion of Christ in a remote village. Nothing can stop 17-year-old Karim, the Scout who has been assigned the role of Christ, from his obsessive goal: to find the ecstasy to perform the martyr on the cross.
Fr. Brennan is Having a Breakdown! (2025)
19:30
Vue Screen 1
Unearthing
71 mins
This selection of four short films complete with audio description give a glimpse into 18th century Molly Houses in London, the internal monologue that Alan has been trying to ignore, the coming of age and understanding for two black boys and the discovery by a disabled girl that love comes takes many forms.
Sweetheart
Dir: Luke Wintour | UK | 18 mins
In 1723 London, Thomas Neville is discovered cruising in the public toilets and forced to take refuge in a Molly house. There, he encounters a secret community as they prepare for a night of festivities.
Sleazy Tiger
Dir: James Ley | UK | 14 mins
Hopeless (but horny) romantic Alan is excited for his first date with Blair and doesn’t want to mess things up. When Blair gives Alan a jar of homemade kimchi, Alan realises he’s going to struggle controlling his erotic desires.
Two Black Boys In Paradise
Dir: Baz Sells | UK | 9 mins
A movingly tender animation, based on Dean Atta’s eponymous poem, sees Edan and Dula on a journey of self-acceptance and love – for each other and themselves.
With Love, Lottie
Dir: Lily Drummond | Australia | 13 mins
When a disabled teenager fears she will never find love, she enlists her friends to become her mentors in the unpredictable world of dating and discovers that love can come in unexpected ways and different forms.
Two Black Boys In Paradise (2025)
20:00
Vue Screen 2
Sun 19 Oct
19:00
Vue Screen 1
Only Good Things
Dir: Daniel Nolasco | Brazil | 104 mins
Catalão, Brazil, 1984. The rural region of Batalha dos Neves is made up of large crop pastures, a few farms and divided in half by the São Marcos River. Antonio lives alone and isolated taking care of his small farm until the day he encounters Marcelo, a lonely motorcycler who suffers an accident crossing the region. Antonio takes care of Marcelo’s wounds. The two fall in love and live a story that transforms, destabilizes and causes ruptures in each of them.
This screening is a UK premiere.
Daniel Nolasco was born in the city of Catalão, Brazil. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Cinema and Audiovisual from the Fluminense Federal University and in History from the Federal University of Goiás. He has written and directed more than 10 short films, screened and awarded at festivals all around the world. His first documentary feature film is Paulistas (2017). His second documentary, Mr. Leather (2019), was screened at festivals such as BAFICI, Frameline, Montreal International Documentary Festival, FicViña. Dry Wind (2020), his first fiction feature film, premiered at the 70th Berlinale and participated in more than 80 films festivals. Only Good Things (2025) is his second fiction feature film.
Vue Screen 1
IRIS PRIZE
Queer Youth
69 mins
A child left out, a hidden meeting away from the celebrations, trouble in the team, and a lesson in dating. These films expose some obstacles faced by young people.
Birthdays
Dir: Adrian Jalily | Denmark | 19 mins
Marlon is confronted with his son's otherness as he doesn't get an invite for any of the birthday parties in his class.
Cousin
Dir: Alejandro Jato | Spain | 24 mins
Antón travels to his grandparents' village to receive his first communion. While celebrating this special day with family, a new way of seeing the world begins to take shape, leading to an experience that will forever mark the course of his life - as an individual, as a cousin, and as a child of God.
Game Rules
Dir: Christian Zetterberg | Sweden | 12 mins
A youth handball team is about to participate in their first major tournament. As they aim for the top, facing professional players, talent scouts and sponsors, the game is suddenly interrupted by adults questioning who’s really allowed to play.
With Love, Lottie
Dir: Lily Drummond | Australia | 13 mins
When a disabled teenager fears she will never find love, she enlists her friends to become her mentors in the unpredictable world of dating and discovers that love can come in unexpected ways and different forms.
With Love, Lottie (2024)
14:00
Vue Screen 1
Exploring Intimacy
69 mins
Pushing boundaries, struggling with anatomy, a secret desire, and words not spoken. This programme showcases desire and sexuality.
Souvenir
Dir: Renée Marie Petropoulos | Australia | 15 mins
While stuck on a family vacation, a young, closeted teen, Keira, must confront the unnerving hold her girlfriend has over her after she takes unwarranted photos of her during sex.
Clementine
Dir: Sally Tran | USA | 14 mins
A late-blooming trans woman struggles to confront and navigate a life-altering, assigned-maleat-birth trans specific dilemma.
Damp
Dir: Etsen Chen | Taiwan | 12 mins
Yen, a young man with cerebral palsy, longs for both romance and a body like his caregiver Suriya’s, while his overprotective mother harbours complex feelings for Suriya. As tensions rise, Yen starts to believe his body is no longer the same.
Touch Me With Your Eyes
Dir: Anais Kabore | Belgium | 27 mins
An exploration of young love, challenging the viewer to reconsider the physical and sensory dimensions of film.
Clementine (2024)
Vue Screen 1
Cross Roads
68 mins
Finding love in old age, stories shared in darkness, societal pressure in a relationship, and a mother searching for her kidnapped child. This programme deals with being alone and searching for more.
Jasmine That Blooms In Autumn
Dir: Chandradeep Das | India | 15 mins
Love blossoms secretly between two old women at an elderly care home while the spectre of patriarchy looms large overhead. Wed 15 Oct 17:00
Cats Can Teach You To Die Alone
Dir: Hanuš | Pakistan | 22 mins
Ali receives a call from his ex-lover Zain after three years, sparking memories of the night they first met, moving between past intimacy and present solitude, love and regret.
Krizalit
Dir: Naz Tokgöz and Arantxa Ibarra | Turkey | 16 mins
Krizalit follows Deniz, a young woman torn between love and alienation in modern Turkey, exploring identity, belonging, and transformation in a city bursting with beauty, contradiction, and quiet resistance.
Buscando Alma
Dir: Melissa Fisher | USA | 16 mins
A Honduran immigrant is given the chance to meet her mother after nearly two decades of separation. As she grapples with the uncertainty of their reunion, she is confronted by tumultuous memories of her past and the fact that she might not be what her mother is expecting.
IRIS PRIZE
Jasmine That Blooms In Autumn (2025)
Tales of This City
The much-loved regular session produced by The Queer Emporium gets an Iris makeover!
This edition to coincide with the Iris Prize will feature a panel of filmmakers who are returning to the film festival and will be quizzed about this city.
The confirmed guests are: Harvey Rabbit a transgender artist living in Berlin, Dima Hamdan a Palestinian filmmaker and journalist based in Berlin who won the 2024 Iris Prize for her powerful short film Blood Like Water.
Sponsors:
20:00
Vue Screen 2
Sat 18 Oct
17:00
Vue Screen 1
Departures
Dir: Lloyd Eyre-Morgan & Neil Ely | UK | 82 mins
Two men - Benji and Jake - meet at an airport gate and begin monthly incognito trips to Amsterdam together. Over time the need to keep their intimacy a secret causes strain for the out Benji, and their trysts become increasingly toxic.
The directors Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely are attending the Industry Day. This screening is a Welsh premiere.
Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely are a British directing duo known for their dynamic and often humorous approach to storytelling. They gained recognition with their feature film debut, Departures a drama exploring a dysfunctional LGBTQ+ relationship set in Manchester and Amsterdam. Their work is often marked by social commentary, emotional depth, and a strong cinematic aesthetic. The duo has worked across a range of mediums, including film, television, and music videos, blending their dry northern wit with compelling narratives. Most recently they have wrapped on their second feature film Chatlines. Lloyd and Neil's collaborative approach continues to make waves in the UK entertainment scene, with a growing reputation for sexy and impactful films.
Wed 15 Oct
20:15
Vue Screen 1
Thur 16 Oct
14:15
Vue Screen 2
Sisters
Dir: Susie Yankou | USA | 88 mins
A comedy about chosen family, Sisters follows best friends Lou and Esther, who often bond about wishing they grew up with a sister. But when Lou’s father unexpectedly dies and she learns she has a very real, very chic half sister, her and Esther’s co-dependent bliss is rudely interrupted.
This screening is a UK premiere. The director Susie Yankou will be attending the festival.
Susie Yankou is a Toronto-born, LA-based comedy writer/director. Her debut feature Sisters played at festivals around the world, including Austin Film Festival, NewFest, Provincetown, Inside out, and Florida FF, winning awards for Best Narrative Feature at the latter two. The film remains on the festival circuit and is in talks for a North American distribution deal. Her sophomore feature, Here for the Right Reasons, is being produced by Indie Spirit-nominated producer Allison Tate. The project was selected for Inside Out’s 2025 Finance Forum, the only queer finance market in the world. Yankou was also recently named one of MovieMaker Magazine and Austin Film Festival’s 2025 Screenwriters to Watch.
Vue Screen 1
IRIS PRIZE
Finding Your People
69 mins
A fight against evil, a hidden community, the power of friendship, and leaving home to be yourself. These films are all about finding your people.
If I’m Here It Is By Mystery
Dir: Clari Ribeiro | Brazil | 22 mins
New Rio, 2054. The renowned witch Dahlia arrives at the port with a mission: to establish the most powerful Clan that has ever existed and, thus, defeat the Order of Truth. In the future, many people are trans - but only a few are witches.
Sweetheart
Dir: Luke Wintour | UK | 18 mins
In 1723 London, Thomas Neville is discovered cruising in the public toilets and forced to take refuge in a Molly house. There, he encounters a secret community as they prepare for a night of festivities.
Hold Still
Dir: Emily Dynes | Australia | 12 mins
An origami swan folded in secret. Close friends lying on their backs in the sun. A sanitary pad expanding in the grass. Second glances shared at dawn. A collection of the ‘in between’ moments after Logan, a lonely dancer in rural Victoria, meets a tradie at sunrise.
One
Day This Kid
Dir: Alexander Farah | Canada | 18 mins
As told by filmmaker Alexander Farah through a deftly composed array of small yet pivotal moments, a first-generation Afghan Canadian man takes steps toward establishing an identity of his own while always conscious of his father's shadow.
One Day This Kid (2024)
Thur 16 Oct
12:30
Vue Screen 2
TikTok: Yr Alwad
In Welsh with English translation
This session focuses on the TikTok short short drama phenomena. Unlike traditional TikTok clips, which often revolve around goofy challenges or lip-syncing dances, mini dramas are professionally produced series for the web, with clear storylines and big cliffhangers. Clips run just 60 to 90 seconds and a series can span more than 50 episodes.
Yr Alwad is a new Welsh language episodic drama by Alexander Williams, made to this formula. Is this part of the answer to engage with audiences who are consuming content when they want, at at time that suits them when a trip to the cinema or an evening in front of the TV is not always an option.
Sponsor:
Vue Screen 1
Expect the Unexpected
73 mins
A young woman’s trip to Spain, moving in with your boyfriend, and facing the law. These films will certainly keep you guessing!
Ripe!
Dir: Tusk | USA | 18 mins
Nothing says "it's complicated" like breaking your crush's arm.
Nebenan/Next Door
Dir: Lukas März | Germany | 20 mins
When gay couple Tom and Marcel move into a new apartment, they find a door to the right that cannot be closed. Their relationship threatens to fail about the question, how to deal with the horror from next door.
Two People Exchanging Saliva
Dir: Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata | France | 35 mins
In a farcical world where kissing is punishable by death, a personal shopper threatens the status quo.
Ripe! (2024)
16:00
Vue Screen 2
Teth Talk
In Welsh with English translation
A Welsh language Trans comedy called Teth (Nipple) has become a global success story. Presented to the world for the first time as part of last year's Iris Opening Night, the film joined Iris on the Move, visiting 40 venues across the UK, before embarking on an international tour including the word famous Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco.
But how did it happen? Was it pure luck?
This talk brings together the key people involved in the making of Teth. Guto Rhun, the commissioning guy from S4C, Geraint Evans - the money man at S4C who said yes, Leo Drayton the writer and eventually the actor, Peter Darney the film director and the business creatives from Beastly Media Sarah Breese and Dan Thomas.
Nest Jenkins will be guiding us through events.
Sponsor:
17:00
Vue Screen 1
IRIS PRIZE
Swing Into Action
64 mins
Tackling gentrification, speaking your truth, a quest across the galaxy, and facing your family. This programme explores decisions to be made.
Rainbow Girls
Dir: Nana Duffuor | USA | 16 mins
Three young black trans women pushed to the margins of their community decide to push back by staging a robbery targeting San Francisco's most exclusive luxury brands.
Marleen
Dir: Jop Leuven | The Netherlands | 7 mins
In group therapy, Lena talks about three incidents with others that have defined her self-image: with her father, her first boyfriend, and the unexpected date with her colleague Marleen. It’s the way Marleen looks at Lena that changes Lena's perception of herself.
Organza’s Revenge
Dir: Walter Scott | Canada | 20 mins
Organza, a broke artist in a distant galaxy, travels across the stars to seek revenge on her exlover in an attempt to cure her mysterious illness.
Hi Mom, It’s Me, Lou Lou
Dir: Atakan Yilmaz | Turkey | 21 mins
After the sudden death of his mother, Hakkı, a drag queen performer in Istanbul, returns to his hometown - a place he has kept at a distance for years. While coping with his grief, he must also confront the traditional expectations placed on him as the only son.
Rainbow Girls (2025)
Thur 16 Oct 18:00 Vue Screen 2 Sun 19 Oct 17:00 Vue Screen 2
Some Nights I Feel Like Walking
Dir: Petersen Vargas | Philippines | 103 mins
A band of street hustlers brave the dark corners of the Manila night-time and into the outskirts of a dangerous country to fulfill their friend’s dying wish: to take his body home.
Petersen Varga is an alumnus of the Asian Film Academy and a cum laude graduate with a special mention in Narrative Filmmaking from the University of the Philippines Film Institute.
His films tackle Filipino youth through a queer and regional lens. His last short, How to Die Young in Manila (2020), competed in Busan, Singapore, Tallinn Black Nights, and The Iris Prize, and was awarded Best Short Film at Sydney and Bangkok.
19:00
Vue Screen 1
Sun 19 Oct
14:30
Vue Screen 1
Tomorrow's Too Late
Dir: Terry Loane | UK | 65 mins
A beloved musician transitions and risks everything - including his voice - to live authentically as Dylan Holloway.
Dylan Holloway and the producer, April Kelley will be attending the festival. This screening is a Welsh premiere.
Terry is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, and director from Belfast. His work includes Mickybo & Me, Agatha and the Truth of Murder, In The Land Of Saints And Sinners, and The Last Rifleman. He founded Prodigal Films and Palindrome Productions, producing acclaimed film and TV drama in Ireland and internationally.
Thur 16 Oct
20:30
Vue Screen 1 Sun 19 Oct 17:30 Chapter
Cactus Pears
Dir: Rohan Parashuram Kanawade | Canada, India, UK | 112 mins
Anand, a 30-something city dweller compelled to spend a 10-day mourning period for his father in the rugged countryside of western India, tenderly bonds with a local farmer who is struggling to stay unmarried. As the mourning ends, forcing his return, Anand must decide the fate of his relationship born under duress. Cactus Pears has won five Awards so far, including the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Festival.
The director Rohan will be attending the full festival and partaking in several panels. This screening is a Welsh premiere.
Rohan Parashuram Kanawade is a self-made filmmaker raised in a Mumbai slum by a chauffeur father and homemaker mother. Transitioning from interior design to filmmaking, Rohan’s short films have screened globally. His debut feature, Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears), was developed at the Venice Biennale College Cinema 20222023 and participated in platforms such as Film Bazaar, Venice Gap Financing Market, and Goes to Cannes. His short films include U Ushacha (U for Usha), Khidkee (Window), Sundar (Beautiful), and Ektya Bhinti (Lonely Walls).
11:00
Vue Screen 1
Fri 17 Oct
14:00
Vue Screen 2
Trailblazers (2025)
Kinship
73 mins
One woman’s reflection, paternal anxieties, sisterhood in sport, South Asian queer joy, a complicated conversation, and a glamourous visitor. This programme deconstructs different forms that connection can take.
The Second Time Around
Dir: Jack Howard | 12 mins
On a rainy night, while closing a café, a young waitress is confronted by a mysterious older woman.
Meat Raffle
Dir: Stuart Armstrong | 15 mins
Cumbria, 1998. Terrified he's turned his son queer, closeted dad Rich plots to rig his local pub’s Christmas turkey draw to prove what it means to be a real man.
Solers United
Dir: Sara Harrak | 14 mins
As grass roots womxn's football team Solers United face eviction, emotions bubble between teammates. Enter a new striker with looks as impressive as her footwork. As the halftime whistle blows, tensions reach a boiling point.
Trailblazers
Dir: Sobia Bushra | 18 mins
Alia and Muz are Pakistani-Welsh queer chosen siblings who overcome rejection and forge a path towards inclusivity. Trailblazers follow their journey in reclaiming their identities, preserving their cultural heritage, and empowering Asian queer artists who refuse to let their families' rejection define them.
Purebred
Dir: Caleb J. Roberts | 14 mins
During a heatwave in Belfast, transgender man Owen returns to the flat of his on-off-again lover Seán after taking a pregnancy test. Assuming pregnancy wasn't a possibility, the nature of their casual relationship is called into question.
Vue Screen 1
Fri 17 Oct 17:15 Vue Screen 2
81 mins
An unexpected delivery, an absurd first date, missing invitations, a harrowing quest for justice, and a genre hopping actress. A programme full of twists, makes for some uncomfortable viewing as the stories untangle.
Hot Young Geek Seeks Blood-Sucking Freak
Dir: Heath Virgoe | 12 mins
Fighting off a vampire is hard. Coming out is harder. A short Scottish comedy-horror film about pizza, the undead, and queer flatmates.
Sleazy Tiger
Dir: James Ley | 14 mins
Hopeless (but horny) romantic Alan is excited for his first date with Blair and doesn’t want to mess things up. When Blair gives Alan a jar of homemade kimchi, Alan realises he’s going to struggle controlling his erotic desires.
Blackout
Dir: Chris Urch | 15 mins
When a young man living in a high-rise is disturbed by domestic violence in the flat next door, he comes to realise that violence isn’t always on the outside – sometimes it’s with us all along.
Demons
Dir: Emmanuel Imani | 20 mins
A London cop returns to Lagos, risking everything to avenge his lover’s death, battling corruption and confronting his own demons in a heart-wrenching quest for justice.
Bury Your Gays
Dir: Charlotte Serena Cooper ¬¬¬| 20 mins
Actor Grace doesn’t understand why every role ends in death - until a mysterious agent reveals the “Bury Your Gays” trope. Now, trapped in genre-hopping chaos, Grace has one mission: survive.
Sleazy Tiger (2025)
Vue Screen 1
Sat 18 Oct 11:15
Vue Screen 2
What We Carry
71 mins
A historical sanctuary, a surrealist exploration of belonging, a sinister choice, a tumultuous sibling dynamic, and forging your own utopia. This programme deals with what we hold onto and what we can’t.
Sweetheart
Dir: Luke Wintour | 18 mins
In 1723 London, Thomas Neville is discovered cruising in the public toilets and forced to take refuge in a Molly house. There, he encounters a secret community as they prepare for a night of festivities.
Soviet Fantasia
Dir: Penn Bálint | 8 mins
Hajnal needs to get out of here. In this surrealist fantasy, they prepare to leave their home country for England.
Lisbon
Dir: Matthew Jacobs Morgan | 13 mins
A broke queer man, Jason, attends a hook up with an older man on the promise of cash, but finds himself pulled into a twisted request that forces him to confront deep questions of life, death, and the price of human connection in unexpected, darkly humorous ways.
Man Enough
Dir: Beru Tessema | 23 mins
Kaleb reunites with his sister after years apart following his transition, but to connect with each other they first must come to terms with what drove them apart.
Two Black Boys In Paradise
Dir: Baz Sells | 9 mins
A movingly tender animation, based on Dean Atta’s eponymous poem, sees Edan and Dula on a journey of self-acceptance and love – for each other and themselves.
BEST BRITISH
Lisbon (2025)
Stadium Plaza
Best British Awards
The Best British day comes to a close as we celebrate and confirm the names of the winners. We are delighted that Stifyn Parri, who played an important part in Channel 4’s gay history with his ground-breaking appearance in Brookside is here to guide us through the evening.
The Tube with Paula Yates and Jools Holland will be remembered during an evening which celebrates the work of students from the University of South Wales. Iris Prize Best British Short, highly commended and performance award winners will be discovered in what promises to be a contemporary but very nostalgic celebration of excellence in storytelling.
Tonight it matters not if you are Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or English! Fri 17 Oct 22:00
19:00
Vue Screen 1
Sun 19 Oct
12:15
Vue Screen 1
Lesbian Space Princess
Dir: Leela Varghese & Emma Hough Hobbs | Australia | 86 mins
A space princess is thrust out of her sheltered life and into a galactic quest to save her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from the Straight White Maliens.
Leela Varghese will be attending the screening (on Fri 17 Oct), and her presence is supported by Sheba Soul Ensemble.
Leela Varghese (she/her) is an award-winning Australian writer/ director. Her most recent short film I’m The Most Racist Person I Know was selected SXSW Austin 2025 having its world premiere in the narrative short competition. Leela is known for telling joyful, fun and impactful queer stories that spotlight cultural diversity in Australia. She is also known for her work as a musical comedian, television presenter and voice actor.
Emma Hough Hobbs (she/they) is a queer artist from Adelaide. They’re a filmmaker, animator and production designer. Their award winning short On Film was in competition at SXSW Sydney 2023. As a props master they have worked on projects such as A24’s Talk To Me and Gold starring Zac Efron.
Fri 17 Oct
20:00
Vue Screen 2
Sun 19 Oct
16:30
Vue Screen 1
Screams From The Tower
Dir: Cory Wexler Grant | USA | 118 mins
Screams From the Tower is a gay, coming-of-age comedy that follows Julien, his best friend Cary, and their outcast friends through high school in the early 90s. Julien and Cary's dream of having their own show on the high school radio station is finally realized, bringing them a popularity and infamy they never imagined.
This screening is a UK premiere. The director Cory Wexler Grant will be attending the festival.
Cory Wexler Grant is an actor, writer, director and producer. He spent his formative years in San Francisco and Chicago and moved to New York City permanently after being accepted into NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Cory graduated with a BFA in acting, and started a production company in 2001, and began writing, directing, and producing original theatrical works. Cory wrote and directed his first feature film, Painter, in 2018, which was an official selection at Los Angeles indie film festival 2020, and was awarded grand prize, best feature film at Rhode Island international film festival 2020. Screams from the Tower, his second feature film, has won a clutch of awards in the states. He could not be more thrilled and thankful to the team at Iris for the opportunity to screen Screams in the UK and Wales! Cory lives in Greenwich Village with his husband and their two children. He has several feature films in pre-production.
Carry On Screaming
Carry on Screaming films are shown every Friday at Chapter. They allow parents or carers with a child under one to see a film without having to worry about causing a disturbance, and with adjustments to the cinema environment to make it as convenient and comfortable as possible. It’s free entry for babies, but please be aware: no baby, no entry.
Iris is pleased to be partnering with Chapter to offer an additional screening of Screams from the Tower during this year’s Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival on Friday 17 October at 1pm.
Vue Screen 1
New Chapter
63 mins
Crushes by the lake, race and dating, dressing for an Indian wedding, and a nighttime visitor. This programme focuses on connecting with new people.
Second Spring
Dir: Olexi Chubun | Czechia | 18 mins
Is a coming-of-age drama about 16-year-old Sasha, a dreamy teenager from Ukraine who lives with his mother in the Czech Republic. When David, a charismatic rowing coach who flirts with his mother, enters their lives, Sasha unexpectedly experiences his first love and balances this love triangle.
I’m The Most Racist Person I Know
Dir: Leela Varghese | Australia | 13 mins
When Lali unexpectedly ends up on a date with another woman of colour for the first time, it unravels prejudices she has long ignored.
Zari
Dir: Shruti Parekh | USA/India | 20 mins
Amidst preparations for her sister’s wedding in India, young American Neelu forges an unexpected connection with Zeyb, a quiet sari store clerk with a secret.
The Dysphoria
Dir: Kylie Aoibheann | Australia | 13 mins
A young transgender woman performs a Satanic ritual to get a vagina but unwittingly invites a demonic presence into her home which demands a terrible sacrifice.
Zari (2024)
Vue Screen 2
A Teacher's Gift
Dir: Artur Ribiero | UK | 105 mins
An Ambitious Hindi Language teacher in London is under pressure for an arrange marriage with a smart Indian woman but an unexpected meeting with a sophisticated Englishman leads him back to India where they all have to confront the past and decide the future.
Rajdeep Choudhury, who starred in and wrote A Teacher‘s Gift is attending. This screening is a Welsh premiere.
Artur Ribeiro born on September 30, 1969 in Coimbra, Portugal. He is a writer and director, known for Terra Nova (2020) and A Teacher's Gift (2025). Terra Nova (winner of Portuguese Academy Award for Best Actor, Best Cinematography and Best FX-Special Make up) and 13 episode TV series inspired by the movie won two awards for Best TV Series.
14:00
Vue Screen 1
3000 Lesbians Go To York
Dir: Rachel Dax | UK | 68 mins
3000 Lesbians Go To York tells the extraordinary true story of how a lesbian bookseller (who also happened to be trans) created the largest gathering of LGBTQ+ women in the UK, and how from 1998 to 2008, the quietly conservative city of York became the unlikely centre of all things lesbian!
Rachel Dax is an award-winning writer, director and producer of film and audio drama, as well as a novelist and a university lecturer. After many years of making short films, Rachel recently moved into making feature length documentaries.
The director Rachel Dax will be attending the screening. This screening is a Welsh premiere.
Vue Screen 2
Dima Hamdan
Iris Prize Winner 2024
The 2024 Iris Prize went to Blood Like Water directed by Dima Hamdan – join her as she returns to the festival for a screening of the winning film and a chat about her filmmaking process with Jad Salfiti a British-Palestinian journalist who specialises in the intersection of culture and politics, with a focus on Queer cinema and the Middle East.
18:30
Vue Screen 2
Plainclothes
Dir: Carmen Emmi | USA | 113 mins
In this compelling honeytrap drama set in the 1990s Lucas (Tom Blyth) is a promising undercover agent assigned the role of ‘pretty policeman’ to lure and arrest gay men for cruising. When he meets married Andrew (Russell Tovey) his secret attraction to men brings tension and paranoia. Using lo-fi VHS footage at key moments the sense of unease is ramped up – signifying police surveillance as well as flashes of memory. The audience is kept on their toes wondering if Lucas will be able to handle the stress of his secret.
This film contains strobe effects.
Co-producer April Kelley will be attending the festival.
Carmen Emmi comes from a farming community in Syracuse, New York. Plainclothes is his first screenplay and was written after he graduated in film from the University of Southern California. The script was recognised in several competitions placing amongst the top 50 in the 2022 Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. Plainclothes is his directorial debut.
Vue Screen 1
Dreamers
Dir: Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor | UK | 78 mins
Freedom is elusive, but love is eternal.
After two years living undocumented in the UK, Nigerian migrant Isio is caught and sent to the Hatchworth Removal Centre. She hopes for a fair asylum hearing and is convinced that if she follows the rules she will be released – although her new roommate Farah tells her she is making a naïve mistake. Isio finds herself falling for Farah. When Isio’s asylum claim is rejected, Farah suggests they escape together to give their love a chance. When events beyond their control threaten the promise of a new life together Isio realises the only way forward is to create her own playbook.
Dreamers won the audience award at the 2025 GAZE Film Festival in Dublin.
Director Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor will be attending the screening. The screening is a Welsh premiere.
Joy runs Joi Productions whose credits include Blue Story and Boxing Day the first all-Black Christmas film to be made in the UK. In 2020 whe was names a Screen International Star of Tomorrow and a BAFTA Breakthrough. Her short film For Love (2021) premiered at the BFI London Film Festival. Dreamers is her debut feature as a writerdirector.
21:00
Vue Screen 2
Iris Prize Shortlist 2025
Hosted by Owain Wyn Evans
35 films have been shortlisted for the 2025 Iris Prize, including for the first time one each from Turkey and Pakistan. This evening, we gather to discover which of the films have reached the final four, before the winner is announced tomorrow morning (Sunday 19 October).
Tonight is a celebration of Global LGBTQ+ stories of past loves, reunions, rekindling romance, racism, family expectations and dynamics, and first loves.
One of the finalists this evening, celebrated alphabetically, will be hours away from discovering if they will be the 19th winner of the Iris Prize and the £40,000 cash prize supported by the Michael Bishop Foundation. Expect an emotional evening and a few surprises.
Sunday at Chapter Cactus
Your opportunity to see the short films recognised by the Iris Prize and Best British Short juries.
Dir: Rohan Parashuram Kanawade | Canada, India, UK | 112 mins
Anand, a 30-something city dweller compelled to spend a 10-day mourning period for his father in the rugged countryside of western India, tenderly bonds with a local farmer who is struggling to stay unmarried. As the mourning ends, forcing his return, Anand must decide the fate of his relationship born under duress.
Cactus Pears (2025)
Sun 19 Oct 20:00 Chapter
Pillion
Dir: Harry Lighton | UK | 103 mins
Colin, a young gay man living with his parents meets the older Ray, a handsome leader of a biker gang. The two embark on a BDSM relationship, where Colin serves Ray completely, cooking and cleaning for the older man, and going as far as to sleep on the floor. However, Colin’s parents begin asking questions, wanting to meet Ray, and are afraid by how little their son seems to know about the man. As life changes around Colin, he must face his relationship with Ray and claim agency of his own.
This screening is a Welsh premiere and will be attended by some special guests!
Harry Lighton is an English film director and screenwriter, whose feature directorial debut Pillion premiered in 2025 at Cannes. Originally from Portsmouth, Hampshire, he began making short films while studying literature at the University of Oxford. His most noted short film, Wren Boys (2017), received a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Short Film at the 71st British Academy Film Awards and a BIFA nomination for Best British Short Film at the British Independent Film Awards 2017.
The Awards
One of the most important parts of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Festival is the awards, and there are 15 in total to be won, both during and after the festival.
On the Tuesday 14 October, the first three Awards are revealed: the Community, Education, and Micro-Shorts awards. These Awards are sponsored by Mark Williams in memory of his sister Rose Taylor. The Community Award is for films created by non-professional, grassroots groups, and those who are not fully funded. The Education Award is for films made by people in education where the majority of people are 21 and younger. The Micro-short Award is for films under two minutes long.
This is followed on Friday 17 October by the Festival’s dedicated Best British Day, where we celebrate all the shortlisted British shorts. With four awards up for grabs, there is the coveted Best British Short celebrating the best short film in this category. There are also individual Awards for performances, celebrating the best performers in a female role, male role and a role beyond the binary, allowing everyone regardless of their gender to be eligible for a performance award.
Then on the final day, Sunday 19 October, there is the largest Award of all, the Iris Prize itself, given to the winner of the Best Short 2025. Supported by the Michael Bishop Foundation, the winner will be given £40,000 to make a new film in the United Kingdom, allowing them to keep flourishing in what they do.
Finally, after the festival closes there are still seven Awards which will be given out during November. Features will be screened throughout the festival, and a jury will vote on the Best Feature Award which is sponsored by Bad Wolf. Then, there is the Award for Best Performance in a Male Role sponsored by Attitude Magazine, and Best Performance in a Female Role sponsored by Diva Magazine. Additionally, there is the newer Best Performance in a Role Beyond the Binary, which is sponsored by Peccadillo Pictures, allowing for all performances to once again have a chance of recognition.
Outside of these feature Awards, there is the Co-Op Audience Award which every Short Film is eligible for and selected by our audiences. Getting insight from every generation, the final two panels encompass fresh perspectives and wisdom with experience. A Youth Jury, sponsored by Cardiff University will judge from all childfriendly shorts, and vote on which one they think is best. Finally, there will be an Elder panel, allowing seasoned audience members to come together.
Dima Hamdan
International Jury
Dima Hamdan is a Palestinian filmmaker and screenwriter based in Berlin. Her latest short film, Blood Like Water, has been on a festival tour for more than two years, screening at over 70 festivals to date and winning ten awards, including the Iris Film Prize of 2024. She is currently preparing to shoot her debut feature film, Amnesia, in Palestine.
Francis Brown
Francis is a music promoter who has worked with Bright Light Bright Light, VOYA and Russian queer exiles SADO OPERA. He helped organise the first Gay Pride march in Cardiff in 1985 and started The Pink Film Society in 1986; a short-lived Cardiff LGBTQ+ film society. Francis has spent the past 10 years working as the Iris Volunteer Co-ordinator. He lives with Martin and their beloved, but slightly mischievous cat Bobby.
Jad Salfiti
Jad Salfiti is a British-Palestinian journalist who specialises in the intersection of culture and politics, with a focus on Queer cinema and the Middle East. His short documentary film Germany’s Palestine Problem (for The New Arab website) was awarded the 2023 WAN-IFRA Middle East Award for Best Use of Video. His on-camera work spans hosting the topical news show ARTE Europe Weekly, as well as previously contributing video reports to the BBC’s Talking Movies show, particularly on LGBTQ+ films. He has written extensively for various media outlets, including The Guardian, Financial Times, and Al Jazeera English, covering investigations, cultural criticism, and reporting.
Laith Jaafar
Laith is a people professional dedicated to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. His personal journey fuels a deep commitment to LGBTQI+ equality, inspiring him to complete a Masters in Human Resource Management at the University of York. His research explored trans inclusion policies, focusing on how senior leaders can strengthen support packages and create more inclusive workplaces. Through this work, Laith amplified trans voices, highlighting lived experiences and the systemic challenges faced by the community.
Nic Crosara
Nic Crosara (they/he) is a trans writer and deputy editor at DIVA, the world’s leading magazine for LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people. They’ve interviewed filmmakers such as Céline Sciamma and Fawzia Mirza and actors such as Keanu Reeves and Barbie Ferreira. Outside of their work for DIVA, they’ve written for publications such as gal-dem, Attitude, Clash, Black Ballad and HuffPost UK.
Rajdeep Choudhury
Raj is an actor writer who recently finished a part in the feature film Kashmir Princess with renowned filmmaker Andrew Lau. Raj’s first short film Jackpot was released on Disney,India. He is passionate in promoting regional talent and South Asian stories. Currently directing his first Documentary Series while he has three feature film releases to come as an actor.
Susie Yankou
Susie Yankou is a queer filmmaker whose debut feature Sisters screened at NewFest, Austin Film Festival, Inside Out, and Florida Film Festival, earning awards at the latter two. She has also developed TV series with Moonshot Entertainment (alongside EP Bryan Cranston) and Emma Roberts’ Belletrist TV. Next, she’s set to produce Blacklist script A Magical Place Called Glendale with Ed Helms’ Pacific Electric Picture Co.
Tom Paul Martin
Tom Paul Martin is an award-winning gay filmmaker. His short film Where Are All the Gay Superheroes? has screened at over 40 festivals including Iris Prize Opening Night. His short documentary Love, Dad and Daddy premiered at BFI London Film Festival in 2022. Other work includes TV adverts for charities.
Ivy Kelly
Ivy Kelly is a co-director and founder of the CIC, Lone Worlds, which facilitates safer spaces for the LGTBQ+ community in South Wales, as well as supporting creative development for LGBTQ+ artists locally. Kelly has also worked as a freelance producer on LGBTQ+ projects including National Museum Wales' Ours to Tell exhibition, which debuted at Swansea Waterfront Museum in 2024.
Best British Jury BEST
Ali Afzal
Ali Afzal is a UK-based actor known for his roles in Unicorns, Departures, and We Are Lady Parts. His work explores queer and cultural identity through bold, inclusive storytelling. He champions underrepresented voices and is drawn to cinema that challenges perspective, deepens representation, and pushes narrative boundaries.
Dan Sayers-Yates
Based in Manchester, Dan has been involved in Co-op’s LGBTQ+ colleague network since August 2021. Starting off leading the development and execution of the networks comms and engagement strategy, he was promoted to Co-Chair in October 2024. During this time, Dan’s rebranded the network from its previous name (Respect), has increased its membership to over 550 colleagues, delivered Co-op’s largest participation at Pride to date and helped the network to be recognised externally by several awarding bodies, amongst many other achievements. His passion and drive has also resulted in Co-op introducing policy changes, learning opportunities and celebration events, to help deliver the networks mission of creating a safer and more inclusive workplace for all identities.
Guto Rhun
Guto Rhun is currently working as Young Audiences Commissioner at S4C. In this role, he is responsible for developing and commissioning a wide range of content for S4C’s 16-24-yearold audience. One of his primary responsibilities is Hansh, S4C’s online youth Service. Guto was responsible for commissioning and executive producing Teth which was shown on opening night of the Iris Prize festival last year. Starting his career as a radio presenter for the BBC before working as s digital producer for ITV owned Boom Cymru before joining Wales’s national broadcaster. He is currently developing Hansh to be a hub for long-form entertainment formats, scripted comedy and drama, and the place to be for emerging talent. He is passionate about leading change in diversity and inclusion within the industry. He helped lead Hansh’s Medru Project, which saw deaf and disabled talent be mentored for roles in front and behind the camera. Hansh continues to grow its reach month on month since launching in 2017 and has won several national awards for its cutting edge content over the last few years. Showcasing the best talent in the Welsh language on a national and international stage.
Louisa Connolly-Burnham
Louisa Connolly-Burnham is an award-winning writer-director-actress from Birmingham and founder of Thimble Films. In 2024, she wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the breakout short film Sister Wives, alongside BAFTA-winner Mia McKenna Bruce (MUBI's How To Have Sex). The film was long-listed for the Oscars and BAFTAs, as well as the BIFAs, and was later acquired by Film4 and Channel 4. The film also featured in Letterboxd's Year in Review, ranking as the #3 Highest Rated Live Action Short Film globally. Sister Wives went on to win 50+ awards at 100+ international festivals, including Best Director at The British Short Film Awards, HollyShorts, Sunrise Film Festival, The Shark Awards, One Fluid Night, and Brighton Rocks. It also took home Best British Short, Best British Performance in a Female Role, and the Audience Award at The Iris Prize, sponsored by Film4 and Pinewood Studios.
Sara Peacock
Sara Peacock is the Head of Social Purpose at S4C, among other things leading the broadcaster’s work to ensure that the rich diversity of Wales is reflected both on our screens and behind the camera. She has a background in publishing, in diversity and inclusion, and in Welsh-language promotion. She lives in Cardiff with her wife, and a needy spaniel-cross called Pip.
Tim Highsted
Tim Highsted is the Senior Film Editor of acquired feature films for Channel4 and its portfolio of channels. He has worked in the film industry since the mid-Eighties in arts and film programming and theatrical distribution at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. He has previously worked at the San Francisco International Film Festival, as Deputy Director of the London Film Festival for the British Film Institute and as Programmer on the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.
BEST BRITISH JURY
Acknowledgements
The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival is produced by The Festivals Company Limited. We’re grateful to Becky and her team at Vue Cardiff and Claire and the team at Chapter for making Iris feel at home and providing excellent screening facilities. Thank you too to Peter and his team at Stadium Plaza.
We couldn’t bring you the festival without our team of amazing volunteers and the event production team from the University of South Wales and interns from Cardiff University. Thank you!
Director:
Berwyn Rowlands
Company Manager: Grant Vidgen
Head of Outreach: Holly Russell-Allison
Head of News & Translator: Lynne Reynolds
Head of Technical: Kris Francies
Content Producer: Harrison Williams
Programming Co-ordinator and Marketing Support: Seth Edmonds
Web Editor and Marketing Executive: Adnan Ahmed
Iris Industry Co-ordinator: Lewis Bayley
Volunteer Co-ordinators: Stephen Mullis and Nick McNeill
Marketing Interns: Emyr Union and Zara Townley
Programme Support Intern: Cameron Wagg
Presentation Co-ordinator: Stuart Pomeroy
Additional Content Producer: El Bergonzini
VDT Team Co-ordinator: Al Griffiths
Jury Co-ordinator: Mathew David
Documentary Fund Advisor: Angela Clarke
Catalogue Designer: Samo Chandler
Events Support: Jody Tozer and Michael Karam
Iris Prize Outreach Limited, registered charity 1149914, challenges discrimination on the grounds of sexuality and promotes the exhibition of LGBTQ+ stories on film.
Trustees: Tom Abell (chair), Helios B, Jacquie Lawrence, Christopher Racster, Katie White.
Index by Title
Pink Portraits
Once Upon a time...
Our mission in 2010 was to highlight the significant number of LGBTQ+ people working in film in front and behind the camera, in varied positions including accounting, makeup, acting and much more. The novelty of Berwyn having his portrait taken by renowned Scottish portrait photographer, Donald MacLellan was quickly superseded when we discovered he would be joining Stephen Fry, Phyllida Lloyd, Mark Gatiss and Sir Ian McKellen to name but a few – the inaugural sitters of the Pink Portraits, presented by the UK Film Council in partnership with the Iris Prize. And here we are 15 years later, and the focus moves on to Welsh TV production company Bad Wolf, who make award-winning shows like His Dark Materials, Industry, I Hate Suzie and Doctor Who.
Bad Wolf Pink Portraits 2025
Iris Prize and Ffotogallery, in partnership with Bad Wolf, are delighted to present the Pink Portraits 2025. The Pink Portraits 2025 is a project showcasing images of LGBTQ+ professionals who have worked on Bad Wolf shows since 2017. Crew members were asked to come forward and those who did were brought together for ad hoc group shots and individual portraits at Wolf Studios Wales. Taken by South Wales-based photographer Siria Ferrer, this year’s iteration of the project is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Bad Wolf.
The exhibition contains 10 selected photos displayed in the festival bar and this programme, but you can find the full extended collection on the Iris Prize website.
“As Bad Wolf celebrates its ten year anniversary, partnering with the Iris Prize on Pink Portraits of some of our Wolf Pack staff and crew aligns closely with our core values. Inclusion is at the heart of what we do — in front and behind the camera. The work of Iris continues to inspire and together, we’re championing authentic representation and celebrating the diversity of LGBTQ+ lives.” – Jane Tranter, CEO and Co-Founder of Bad Wolf
Photographer: Siria Ferrer (Pictured)
Shadow Photographer: Robin Mitchell
Lighting: Jon Plimmer
BTS: Harrison Williams
