The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival is both a BAFTA and BIFA qualifying festival for British short film. The festival has also been recognised as one of the “50 festivals worth the entry fee” by Movie Maker magazine five times! The festival prides itself on sharing the very best of LGBTQ+ filmmaking in Cardiff each October. This is supported through a worldwide network of partner festivals in 19 countries who nominate films each year, alongside open submissions.
IRIS PRIZE
Supported by The Michael Bishop Foundation
Winners of the Iris Prize are:
2024 – Dima Hamdan (Palestine) director of short film Blood Like Water
2023 – Karimah Zakia Issa (Canada) director of short film Scaring Women at Night
2022 – John Sheedy (Australia) director of short film Tarneit
2021 – Sam Arbor and Adam Ali (UK) director of short film Baba.
2020 – Victoria Warmerdam (Netherlands) director of short film Short Calf Muscle (Korte Kuitspier)
2019 – Sarah Smith (USA) director of short film Black Hat | Made Cardiff with the Prize
2018 – Lara Zeidan (Lebanon/UK) director of short film Three Centimetres | Made A Beautiful Form To See with the Prize
2017 – Mikael Bundsen (Sweden) director of short film Mother Knows Best | Made Involuntary Activist with the Prize
2016 – Toby Fell – Holden (UK) director of short film Balcony
2015 – Arkasha Stevenson (USA) director of short film Vessels | Made Daisy & D with the Prize
2014 – Brendon McDonall (Australia) director of short film All God’s Creatures | Made Spoilers with the Prize
2013 – Tim Marshall (Australia) director of short film Gorilla | Made Followers with the Prize
2012 – Grant Scicluna (Australia) director of short film The Wilding | Made Hurt’s Rescue with the Prize
2011 – Daniel Ribeiro (Brazil) director of short film I Don’t Want To Go Back Alone |
2010 – Magnus Mork (Norway) director of short film The Samaritan | Made Burger with the Prize
2009 – Eldar Rapaport (USA) director of short film Steam | Made Little Man with the Prize
2008 – Till Kleinert (Germany) director of short film Cowboy | Made Boys Village with the Prize
2007 – Dee Rees (USA) director of short film Pariah | Made Colonial Gods with the Prize
Find full list of Iris Production films here: https://irisprize.org/productions/
Best British Short
Sponsored by Film4 & Pinewood Studios
Winners of Best British Short are:
2024 – Louisa Connolly-Burnham director of short film Sister Wives
2023 – Sara Harrak director of short film F**ked
2022 – Shiva Raichandani director of short film Queer Parivaar
2021 – SAM ARBOR and ADAM ALI director of short film Baba
2020 – Michael J Ferns director of short film Better
2019 – Alfie Dale director of short film My Brother is a Mermaid
2018 – Claire Lawrie director of short film Beyond (There’s Always a Black Issue, Dear)
2017 – Dionne Edwards director of short film We Love Moses
2016 – Toby Fell-Holden director of short film Balcony
2015 – Lloyd Eyre-Morgan director of short film Closets
2014 – Charlie Francis director of short film Middle Man
2013 – Jay Bedwani director of short film My Mother
2012 – Fabio Youniss director of short film A Stable for Disabled Horses
2011 – Andrew Steggall director of short film The Red Bike
2010 – Ana Moreno director of short film Mosa
2009 – Aleem Khan director of short film Diana
2008 – Connor Clements director of short film James
2007 – Abbe Robinson director of short film Private Life
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A MALE ROLE (Best British)
Sponsored by OUT AND PROUD
2024 – Richard Wilson for the role of ‘Ceri’ in G Flat
2024 – Dennis Grindel for the role of ‘Declan Flynn’ in Fairview Park
2023 – Emma D’Arcy for the role of ‘Tommy’ in The Talent
2022 – Gary Fannin for the role of ‘Jim’ in Jim
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A FEMALE ROLE (Best British)
Sponsored by OUT AND PROUD
2024 – Louisa Connolly-Burnham for the role of ‘Kaidence’ in Sister Wives
2023 – Meg Salter for the role of ‘Jess’ in F**KED and Rosalind Eleazar for the role of ‘Dani’ in F**KED
2022 – Claudia Jolly for the role of ‘Lydia Willis’ in Tommies
Best Performance in a role Beyond the Binary (Best British)
Sponsored by Out & Proud
2024 – Ashley Goa for the role of ‘Kai’ in Divine Intervention
2023 – Son of a Tutu for the role of ‘Miss Coco Lemon’ in Lemon
BEST FEATURE
Sponsored by Bad Wolf
Winners of the Iris Prize Best Feature Award are:
2024 – Young Hearts directed by Anthony Schatteman
2023 – Femme directed by Sam H Freeman and Ng Choon Ping (UK)
2022 – Metamorphosis directed by Jose Enrique Tiglao (Philippines)
2021 – Rebel Dykes directed by Harri Shanahan and Siân A. Williams (UK)
2020 – Cocoon (Kokon) directed by Leonie Krippendorff (Germany)
2019 – And Then We Danced directed by Levan Akin (Sweden/Georgia/France)
2018 – 1985 directed by Yen Tan (USA)
2017 – Prom King, 2010 directed by Christopher Schaap (USA)
2016 – Real Boy directed by Shaleece Haas (USA)
2015 – Fourth Man Out directed by Andrew Nackman (USA)
2014 – Boy Meets Girl directed by Eric Schaeffer (USA)
2013 – Cupcakes directed by Eytan Fox (Israel)
2012 – Sex of Angels directed by Xavier Vilaverde (Spain)
2011 – August directed by Eldar Rapaport (USA)
2010 – My Friend from Faro directed by Nana Neul (Germany)
2009 – Redwoods directed by David Lewis (USA)
2008 – Dream Boy directed by James Bolton (USA)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A MALE ROLE (Feature film)
Sponsored by Attitiude Magazine
2024 – Lou Goosens for the role of ‘Elias’ in Young Hearts
2023 – Hubert Mikowski for the role of ‘Robert’ in Norwegian Dream (Norway)
2022 – Giancarlo Commare for the role of Antonio in Mascarpone (Italy)
2021 – Udo Kier for the role of Pat Pitsenbarger in Swan Song (USA)
2020 – Leandro Faria Lelo for the role of Sandro in Dry Wind (Vento Seco) (Brazil)
2019 – Henry Golding for the role of Kit in Monsoon (UK)
2018 – Félix Maritaud for the role of Leo in Sauvage (France)
2017 – Miles Szanto for the role of Miklós Varga in Teenage Kicks (Australia)
2016 – Tom Green for the role of Anthony in Downriver (Australia)
2015 – Davide Capone for the role of Davide in Darker than Midnight (Piu Buio Di Mezzanotte) (Italy)
2014 – Michael Welch for the role of Robby in Boy Meets Girl (USA)
2013 – Ryan Steele for the role of Chip in Five Dances (USA)
2012 – Ohad Knoller for the role of Yossi in Yossi (Israel)
2011 – Murray Bartlett for the role of Troy in August (USA)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A FEMALE ROLE (feature Film)
Sponsored by Diva Magazine
2024 – Luciana Grasso for the role of ‘Vera’ in Vera and the Pleasure of Others
2023 – Amrit Kaur for the role of ‘Azra’ in The Queen of my Dreams (Canada)
2022 – Lacey Oake for the role of Izzy in Before I Change My Mind (Canada)
2021 – Senan Kara for the role of Selma in Not Knowing (Turkey)
2020 – Lena Urzendowsy for the role of Nora in Cocoon (Kokon) (Germany)
2019 – Linda Caridi for the role of Karole in Mom + Mom (Mamma + Mamma) (Italy)
2018 – Jamie Chung for the role of Carly in 1985 (USA)
2017 – Fawzia Mirza for the role of Zaynab in Signature Move (USA)
2016 – Kerry Fox for the role of Paige Levy in Downriver (Australia)
2015 – Sigrid ten Napel for the role of Anna in Summer (Zomer) (Netherlands)
2014 – Kate Trotter for the role of Alise in Tru Love (Canada)
2013 – Sabine Wolf for the role of Katja in Two Mothers (Germany)
2012 – Kristina Valada-Viars for the role of Molly in Molly’s Girl (USA)
2011 – Allison Lane for the role of Candy in Going Down in La-La Land (USA)
Iris Prize Best Performance in a role Beyond the Binary (Feature Film)
sponsored by Peccadillo Pictures
2023 – Bishop Black for the role of ‘Queen Bitch’ in Captain Faggotron Saves the Universe (Germany, 2023)
2022 – Gold Azeron for the role of Adam in Metamorphosis (Philippines)
YOUTH JURY AWARD
Sponsored by Cardiff University
2024 – Jia Directed by Vee Shi
2023 – Realness with a Twist, directed by Cass Kaur Virdee (UK)
2022 – Breathe directed by Harm van der Sanden (Netherlands)
2021 – S.A.M directed by Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely (UK)
2020 – Wings directed by Jamie Weston (UK)
2019 – My Brother is a Mermaid directed by Alfie Dale (UK)
2018 – Mrs McCutcheon directed by John Sheedy (Australia)
2017 – Lily directed by Graham Cantwell (Ireland)
2016 – Sign directed by Andrew Keenan-Bolger (USA)
2015 – Closets directed by Lloyd Eyre-Morgan (UK)
2014 – Bombshell directed by Erin Sanger (USA)
2013 – Straight With You directed by Daan Bol (Netherlands)
COMMUNITY AWARD
Sponsored by Mark Williams in memory of Rose Taylor
2024 – Three Letters | La mamma morta directed by Michael Graham
2023 – Where’s Danny, directed by Amy Pennington
2022 – Want/Need, directed by Niamh Buckland (UK)
2021 – Lonely Cowgirl directed by Lydia Garnett (UK)
MICRO SHORT AWARD
Sponsored by Mark Williams in memory of Rose Taylor
2024 – Façade directed by Sophia Vi
2023 – Trickle-Down Economics, directed by Sophie Ansell
2022 – Hold Me Close Please, directed by Max Roberts (UK)
2021 – Amen directed by Erick Edwardson (UK)
EDUCATION AWARD
Sponsored by Mark Williams in memory of Rose Taylor
2024 – Forbidden Reverie 宿祭 directed by Yisong Huang
2023 – The Fight in the Dog, directed by Pamela Jikiemi
2022 – The Bed, directed by Thalia Kent-Egan (UK)
AUDIENCE AWARD
Sponsored by Co-op
2024 – Sister Wives directed by Louisa Connolly-Burnham (UK)
2023 – Ted and Noel directed by Julia Alcamo (UK)
2022 – Jim directed by Tom Young (UK)
2021 – Birthday Boy directed by Leo LeBeau (UK)
2020 – Wings directed by Jamie Weston (UK)
