The 15 films shortlisted for the 2026 Iris Prize Best British Award, sponsored by Film4 and Pinewood Studios.
This outstanding selection showcases some of the most exciting new LGBTQ+ filmmaking talent from across the UK. Each shortlisted film will screen as part of Best British Day at the 20th Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival on Friday 16 October in Cardiff, where one filmmaker will be presented with the prestigious Iris Prize Best British Award.
As Iris celebrates its 20th anniversary this October, join us for a week of world-class LGBTQ+ cinema, special events, industry talks and celebrations from 12–18 October 2026.
Box Office opens for Iris Members on Thursday 3 September, giving members priority access to screenings and events before tickets go on general sale on Monday 7 September.
Explore this year’s shortlisted films below and discover the future of British LGBTQ+ cinema.
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.
Dir. Maya Yoncali. UK. 2026. 18 mins.
Noah leaves London behind for the industrial banks of the Thames, where they’re invited into a state of in-between, as the city fades away and the river turns to sea.
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.
Dir. Jojo Bossman. UK. 2026. 6 mins.
Following an incident at a party, Nadia and Oko try to piece together their feelings by dissecting the anatomy of a hug and what it means to hold another person.
Dir. Steven Fraser. Scotland, UK. 2025. 8 mins.
Keith tells the story of the filmmaker who found a dead body behind the rubbish bins at his flat in Glasgow.
Dir. Fox Fisher. UK. 2026. 22 mins.
A decade-long chronicle of Kai, a young trans boy coming of age amidst a shifting landscape of trans rights in the UK, as he navigates the complexities of identity, acceptance, medical transition and the pursuit of happiness.
Dir. Luís Hindman. UK. 2025. 18 mins.
Tensions arise amidst the heat of a busy British Pakistani takeaway..
Dir. Mariana Leal. UK. 2025. 5 mins.
A short documentary film about how the LGBTQIA+ community has been reinventing funerary and remembrance rituals to better support and reflect the way people live in community.
Dir. Steven Kunis. UK. 2026. 14 mins.
When Guy introduces the man he loves to his parents, a Sunday lunch takes an unexpected turn. Funny, poignant and surprising, Meet Frankie explores love, family expectations, and the enduring pull of the past.
Dir. Darius Shu. UK. 2026. 23 mins.
A chance encounter at a launderette sparks a meaningful connection between Vinnie and Ryan. As closeness blurs into desire, they are forced to confront what love demands before it fractures everything they have built.
Dir. Holly Eysselinck. UK. 2026. 9 mins.
The traditional picture of new grad success finds herself slowly dissolving into an online existence. In a space where nothing means anything, how do you still feel like a winner?
Dir. Amy Leonard. UK. 2025. 18 mins.
When Em moves to East London to kick-start her podcasting career, she soon finds that 3 seconds of prolonged eye contact with her sexy neighbour AJ sends her into a complete sapphic spiral.
Dir. Alia Ramna. Wales, UK. 2025. 14 mins.
Based on lived experience, this darkly funny film traces Ayesha’s dive into online sex work. Varied interactions with her invisible clientele help her find her power as a trans woman.
Dir. Caroline Hajny. UK. 2025. 18 mins.
After 10 years of living abroad, immigrant Elena is tantalizingly close to receiving her citizenship. But as the government expands control over its people, a new mind reading technology is used to filter out undesirable applicants whose innermost thoughts and values do not fully align with them. Elena has to decide between the future she has built with her girlfriend or moving back home, a country ravaged by its own regime which, would consider her relationship illegal.
Dir. Simon Brooke. UK. 2025. 16 mins.
A scientific discovery shakes Connor and his family.
