Iris Prize Reveals its 20th Edition
The 35 films that have made the cut for the coveted Iris Prize and will be screened in person at the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival – a celebration of global stories and Cardiff charm have been revealed. This year is the 20th edition of the International festival, and runs for a full week from 12 – 18 October. The box office opens for general sales on 7 September, with Full Festival Passes, Industry Day Passes, Day Passes, and Weekend Passes already available.
The shortlist of international filmmakers competing for the coveted Iris Prize Short Film Competition supported by The Michael Bishop Foundation is unveiled today.The winning filmmaker will receive £40,000 to make a new LGBTQ+ short film in Wales and join the exclusive list of world class filmmakers who have won the Iris Prize since our first winner, the subsequently Oscar nominated Dee Rees. This year’s shortlist features three films from the UK, films from 22 countries, with 14 different languages/formats represented.
The Iris Prize has 22 international partner festivals who nominated 22 of the shortlisted films, with the remainder chosen by a pre-selection jury. The shortlisted films tell stories ranging from time-travelling adventures, love across the generations, shared grief, Traveller life, cricket, and a pair of stolen trousers.
Iris Prize Festival Director Berwyn Rowlands said: "At this time of year I'm reminded that although some things have changed about the festival, some things remain exactly the same. The anticipation and excitement about revealing the shortlisted films competing for the Iris Prize is what makes my job so satisfying. Knowing we are about to share some quite amazing stories that the mainstream media sometimes ignore is a reminder that the hard work of fundraising and organising everything is worth it.
"I get very emotional at this time of year, and possibly more in this 20th anniversary year when you are reminded about the film makers who came before, the pioneers, the brave the visionaries and the quite amazing storytellers. Iris has become a significant force which delivers 12 months of the year, of which I'm very proud; and once a year has a role to play to present one film maker with £40,000, which continues to be the world's largest thanks to the generosity of the Michael Bishop Foundation!”
Team Iris is proud to present the shortlisted films for the Iris Prize supported by the Michael Bishop Foundation:
A Cappella
Dir. Marcin Kluczykowski. Poland. 2024. 30 mins.
Karol and Henryk are a long-time elderly couple, but outside their apartment, the two men pretend to be single. One day, they receive an invitation that shakes their meticulously hidden everyday life.
After What Happened at the Library
Dir. Syra McCarthy. USA. 2025. 15 mins.
Inspired by my viral true story. In the wake of a terrifying encounter, a drag queen struggles under the weight of public attention.
Between Breath & Silence
Dir. Nicole Pott. UK. 2026. 18 mins.
When his terminally ill father returns home, a young gay man must confront years of silence, family tensions and the possibility that time is running out.
Big Bass
Dir. Drew Dickler. USA. 2025. 14 mins.
What does it mean to feel seen by others before you’re ready to see yourself? A filmmaker travels back to 1997 to revisit a dream-like memory from second grade that centres around her queer identity, her legendary PE teacher and a mysterious large plastic fish.
Black Shawl
Dir. Kamila Boichenko. Poland. 2025. 25 mins.
Lesya is living in a refugee camp, where she reconnects with her old friend Maria, who, like Lesya, is haunted by the loss of a loved one. As their bond deepens, the women find solace in each other’s shared grief.
Breaking Walls
Dir. Jan-Dirk Bouw. Netherlands, Belgium, Norway. 2025. 23 mins.
Journalist and activist Hoi Yi fights against the ever-growing global rise of surveillance and censorship, while suppressing his queer identity from his family. The personal repression he faces is reflected in his commitment to the freedom of others.
Charlie is Not a Boy
Dir. Pol Kurucz. USA, France, Hungary. 2026. 13 mins.
Set within an allegorical America, in a crumbling household ruled by a perverted butcher of a father, a hushed soul clings to the magic of his eccentric grandmother, until his safe haven unravels, forcing him to choose between the masks he wears and his authentic self.
Coyotes
Dir. Said Zagha. France, Palestine, Jordan, UK. 2025. 20 mins.
A Palestinian surgeon drives home after a long night shift, but little does she know that a commute through a desolate West Bank road will change her forever.
Cuming Out
Dir. Jasmine J. Johnson. USA. 2025. 19 mins.
Kennedy's desire for a heteronormative experience sees her embark on a one-night stand. What could possibly go wrong?
Every Time I See A Cock I Go Funny
Dir. Lyndon Henley Hanrahan. UK. 2026. 21 mins.
When a Yorkshire coal miner’s trousers get stolen, a scandal erupts that sinks the colliery into turmoil, exposing the hypocritical, horny heart of postwar British pride and masculinity.
God is Grey
Dir. Jennifer Drake. Germany. 2024. 24 mins.
Having been raised in a Christian household, Chris (30) faces the challenge of finding his place in the world, particularly due to his two mothers who chose to keep their relationship hidden. When one of his mothers, Paddy (58), passes away, Chris returns home to a familiar yet unchanged environment. In a heartfelt effort to honour Paddy's memory, Chris impulsively makes a decision that jeopardizes his relationship with his remaining family, his other mother, Mami Tess (59).
Hills Don't Dance Alone
Dir. Shubham Negi. India. 2025. 24 mins.
At a school in the Himalayas,15-year-old Sachin is bullied for cross-dressing in a folk-dance performance. Anju, the middle-aged vice principal of the school, steps in, but it unravels more than she anticipated. As both quietly navigate their secret struggles, their lives begin to intertwine, forming a bond that neither can name but both need.
Inheritance
Dir. Mohammad Awad. Australia. 2026. 15 mins.
After the news of his father’s passing, Ameen must face old demons when he returns to the family home he was kicked out of as a teenager. He’s brought Kai - his situationship - along for moral support.
La Moto (The Motorcycle)
Dir. Matteo Giampetruzzi. Italy/Denmark/Spain. 2025. 20 mins.
During a scorching summer in the mountains of southern Italy, young, shy Luca develops an attraction for Valerio, an older boy with a passion for motorcycles. The two meet in secret, in the quiet of the countryside just outside the small town where they live. Chasing a desire that slowly escalates into obsession, Luca is forced to come to terms with the blurred boundary between pleasure and violence.
Lesbian Ditch Day
Dir. Olivia Cade. USA. 2026. 14 mins.
Lesbian Ditch Day starts as a rom-com-y, coming-of-age tale of two high school lesbians playing hooky, but through a fourth wall break, the film reveals itself to be just another queerbaiting tragedy.
Magid / Zafar
Dir. Luís Hindman. UK. 2025. 19 mins.
Tensions arise amidst the heat of a busy British Pakistani takeaway.
Mishaps in Spacetime
Dir. Caio Amado Soares. Germany, Portugal. 2025. 12 mins.
Doubt creeps in as Cosmo, a space traveller, addresses his gender identity. In need of clarity and change, he wants to risk crossing the Butterfly Nebula. His spaceship, on the other hand, has a personality of her own. Cosmo will need to negotiate change with a certain loss of control.
My Dear Watson
Dir. Jacob McKee. USA. 2026. 12 mins.
When he receives a mysterious love note, a teenage Sherlock Holmes must step outside of his comfort zone to uncover the identity of his secret admirer.
Pakka
Dir. Iniyavan Elumalai. The Netherlands. 2025. 18 mins.
Four gay Indian friends share an unbreakable bond on a Dutch cricket field. But when one agrees to an arranged marriage in India, their chosen family begins to unravel.
Queen Lizzy
Dir. David McDonagh. Ireland. 2026. 14 mins.
Queen Lizzy is a raw and honest insight into the life of Traveller, Elizabeth Connors, and her relationship with her family who cannot come to terms with her sexuality.
Quelqu'un de spécial (một người đặc biệt)
Dir. Alice Gervat. France. 2024. 7 mins.
Lisa matched with Xuân through a dating app, and she is to meet her for the first time. But there is a problem: to appeal to Xuân, Lisa lied and told her that she is fluent in Vietnamese, her native language, despite not understanding a single word. Getting deeper into her own lies, there is only one week left before the date for Lisa to learn vietnamese. Otherwise, Xuân will find out she’s a fraud…
Same Time Next Year?
Dir. Anushay Sheikh. Canada. 2025. 8 mins.
Expecting another uneventful Jummah, Safa finds herself trapped with her overbearing family and an angry ex.
Seahorse
Dir. Leo Tabosa. Brazil. 2024. 22 mins.
On the eve of the Feast of St. John, Francisca, who is a widow about to turn 75, is on the verge of exploding like fireworks.
Shutterspeed
Dir. Jasper De Maeseneer. Belgium. 2025. 25 mins.
15-year-old Cas poses for his school’s trainee teacher and amateur photographer Jard. When he becomes painfully aware of the power imbalance between them, he seeks to reverse their dynamic.
So Be It
Dir. Matthew Sorgie. USA. 2026. 7 mins.
So Be It is an animated documentary offering a rare and tender portrait of lifelong queer love. Through candid conversation, the film shares the stories of five LGBTQIA+ couples reflecting on resilience, commitment, and the privilege it is to love and be loved.
Something In The Air
Dir. Niamh Barry. Ireland. 2025. 17 mins.
Something In The Air (2025) is a short documentary and directorial debut by Niamh Barry about the life and work of Raychel Sanner, a storm chaser, environmental advocate, and trans person living in Oklahoma, USA.
Stranger, Brother.
Dir. Annelise Hickey. Australia. 2025. 15 mins.
When Adam, a self-absorbed and lonely millennial, wakes to find his estranged half-brother on his doorstep one morning, he must face the family he’s been running away from.
The Hold
Dir. Ashley Panton. UK. 2025. 12 mins.
Commitment-phobe Nathan begins to regret his decision after hooking up with drunken stranger Adrian who passes out in his bed. Nathan, a sufferer of horrific night terrors must stay awake through the night to keep this well-hidden secret.
The Inheritance
Dir. Destinee Stewart. USA. 2026. 15 mins.
When Venus, a Black violinist, joins her wife at her family's remote estate, unsettling visions blur past and present. As hidden histories surface, she discovers an unexpected connection to the property that threatens her marriage and sense of self.
The Last Day of Byron Bray
Dir. Michael Borrelli. USA. 2026. 20 mins
New York, one night in 2019. Mike arrives at his 92-year-old friend Byron's apartment after a crappy night at work. What seems like just another visit turns into the last conversation they will ever have: Byron has hung a sign on the wall, has money in the freezer, and a recent dream that has him ready to let go. Mike isn't.
Them That's Not
Dir. Mekhai Lee. USA. 2025. 19 mins.
Andrea “Drea” Stoney, a down-on-her-luck poet, finds herself at her grandmother’s repass, along with her seditty larger-than-life family. But Drea is sticking out like a sore thumb; she’s introspective, Queer, artistic and proudly Deaf, albeit surrounded by her distant family members who don’t care to know ASL. So Drea resorts to finding solace in hidden, lonely moments that she can steal in the pockets of her grandmother’s generational brownstone.
Uniformed
Dir. Dan Biurrum. Brazil. 2025. 24 mins.
A gay police officer, Gustavo lives two irreconcilable realities. In a world where the uniform condemns him to hiding, he feels his true nature being crushed by fear. But for how long is silence a shield, and when does it become a weapon?
Whale 52 - Suite For Man, Boy, And Whale
Dir. Daniel Neiden. USA. 2025. 11 mins.
An elderly man, silently grieving the loss of his male partner, volunteers at a school where he's assigned to mentor a young boy who hasn't spoken all year. Together, they discover that some of the deepest conversations only require a single word...and the courage to say it.
When The Petals Fall
Dir. Tsoi Ka Hin Henry. Hong Kong. 2025. 33 mins.
Tang is an elderly man who suppresses his paedophilia with Buddihsm. His neighbour Chun, a child neglected by his mother, seeks help and dines at Tang’s home. Chun's request to stay the night puts Tang in a moral dilemma. How will the two spend the night together?
XY
Dir. Stephan Fleet. USA. 2025. 12 mins.
XY is a short film that explores the double standards between trans existence and cisgender male privilege in America - a country where identity is regulated, but guns are not.
Full details about Iris can be found here: www.irisprize.org
Iris Prize will return for the 20th edition on Monday 12 October until Sunday 18 October, with the support of the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding.