🎬 A Celebration of Queer Storytelling: Iris Prize LGBTQ+ 2025 Opening Night at Vue Cardiff
Last night, the Vue Cinema in Cardiff came alive with the vibrant spirit of storytelling, community, and unapologetic authenticity as the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ 2025 Film Festival kicked off its opening night. Four remarkable films were screened, each offering a unique lens into queer lives, histories, and futures. From tender family dynamics to radical activism, from eerie laughter to quiet love, these works remind us why queer cinema matters — not just as art, but as a lifeline.
🌟 Snapped Strings
Directed by Eoin Maher, this touching short film is a testament to the power of youth-led storytelling. Created through the Every Child A Filmmaker Project in collaboration with IntoFilm and Willows High School, Snapped Strings follows Tom, a teenage boy grappling with grief and a fractured relationship with his father after the loss of his mother. With raw emotion and striking sensitivity, the film explores masculinity, vulnerability, and the silent spaces between words. It’s a moving reminder that queer narratives begin at home — and that young voices deserve to be heard.
📚 Jackie
Emily Sargent’s documentary Jackie is a riveting portrait of Jackie Forster, a trailblazing activist whose legacy continues to ripple through queer history. From running an underground donor sperm network to founding Sappho, a pioneering lesbian magazine, Jackie’s life was one of defiance, compassion, and fierce dedication to community. The film honours her radical spirit and the not so quiet revolution she led — one family, one publication, one act of love at a time. It’s a powerful archival tribute that demands to be seen and remembered.
👻 Y Tolldy
Commissioned by S4C and delivered in the Welsh language, Y Tolldy is a horror comedy that gleefully bends genre and expectation. Directed by Dan Thomas and co-written with Al Parr, the film is a riotous blend of eerie thrills and biting humour. It’s a celebration of Welsh identity and queer absurdity, proving that LGBTQ+ cinema can be as playful as it is profound. With its bold tone and local flavour, Y Tolldy opens new doors for queer storytelling in regional languages — and it’s an absolute scream.
🎶 Never, Never, Never
Directed by John Sheedy, this poignant tale set in a conservative Welsh fishing village is the thirteenth film made by an Iris Prize winner — and it’s nothing short of exquisite. Henrick (Ché) and Arwyn (Iwan) share a bond that transcends friendship, steeped in unspoken longing and quiet courage. Henrick’s love for Shirley Bassey becomes a beacon of hope in a community that struggles to accept difference. The film is tender, heartwarming, and deeply resonant — a love letter to queer resilience and the music that carries us through.
🌈 Why These Films Matter
Each of these films is more than just a story — they are acts of visibility, resistance, and celebration. They amplify voices that have long been silenced, challenge norms that have long gone unquestioned, and offer new possibilities for connection, understanding, and joy. In showcasing these works, the Iris Prize continues to be a vital platform for LGBTQ+ creatives, opening doors to opportunity and sparking conversations that ripple far beyond the cinema walls.
🎟️ Go See These Films — And Share Them If you care about representation, artistry, and the future of inclusive storytelling, these films are not to be missed. Visit the Iris Prize website to learn more, explore the full programme, and support the filmmakers who are changing the world — one frame at a time.
