Iris members get priority access to tickets before general sale.
General Box Office opens Monday 7 September
Celebrating the films, filmmakers and people who make Iris special.
From discovering who will take home the £40,000 Iris Prize and celebrating the very best of British LGBTQ+ filmmaking, to recognising our Community, Micro Short and Education Award winners, Iris20 is packed with moments worth celebrating.
Join us for the Best British Lunch and Awards, a special BAFTA celebration of 20 years of Iris, and the Iris Prize Award Announcement as we bring our anniversary festival to a fitting finale.
Join BAFTA Cymru for a special gala evening hosted by Rebecca Hardy, Director of BAFTA Cymru, and some very exciting guests as we celebrate the people, the films and the passion that has shaped Iris over the last 20 years.
Alongside celebrating the major milestones of 20 years of the world’s largest short film prize, we’ll also take a peek behind the curtain at how Iris has grown and changed over her history, with the premiere of Does She Have Wings, a short documentary commissioned for the 20th anniversary, which tells the story of Iris through design.
Sat 17 oct
This is it. After a week of films, filmmakers and celebrations, it’s time to discover who will win the £40,000 Iris Prize.
Join us at BBC Cymru Wales as we reveal the 20th Iris Prize winner, supported by the Michael Bishop Foundation. The winning filmmaker will receive £40,000 to make a new LGBTQ+ short film in Wales, joining an incredible list of Iris alumni stretching back to our first winner, Dee Rees.
We’ll kick off the final day of Iris20 with coffee, pastries, the big announcement and a live performance from Cardiff’s DONT MAKE THIS WEIRD.
Sun 18 oct
Join Stifyn Parri and co-host Holly Russell-Allison at Stifyn Parri’s Bar for the Iris Prize Best British Awards 2026, where we’ll reveal the Best British Short, sponsored by Film4 and Pinewood Studios, alongside our three Performance Awards.
And all 15 shortlisted films have another reason to celebrate — every film will be broadcast on Film4 and available to stream on Channel 4 for one year.
Plus, Liam J. Edwards brings powerhouse vocals and theatrical pop to the stage.
And because this is Iris, expect a few surprises along the way…
Fri 16 oct
Take a break from the big screen and join us at the Clayton Hotel Cardiff as we raise a glass to the incredible filmmakers behind the Iris Prize Best British Short 2026 shortlist.
And because this is our 20th anniversary, lunch comes with a rather special soundtrack. Iris Patron Heather Small will serenade our Best British filmmakers with a special performance as we celebrate the talent, stories and people that make Best British Day one of the highlights of Iris.
Fri 16 oct
Join us as we celebrate and announce the winners of our Community, Education and Micro Short Awards, recognising creativity, new voices and the power of storytelling to bring people together.
Wednesday 14 October
Meet the next generation of LGBTQ+ filmmaking talent as we reveal the first-ever Iris Prize Student Short Film Award winner.
Six emerging filmmakers from across the UK and Ireland are competing for our brand-new award, with the winner selected by a jury chaired by actor and filmmaker Tom Cullen, alongside Emma Obank and Ronke Adekoluejo.
Thursday 15 October, following the Industry day
