Joe Locke to attend Welsh premiere of Black Church Bay at Iris Prize Closing Night

Joe will be joined at Cineworld Cardiff by his co-star Tom Cullen (Weekend, House of the Dragon) and the film’s director, Rhys Marc Jones, for the special closing-night screening.
The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival – a celebration of global stories and Cardiff charm is delighted to announce that Emmy Award-winning Joe Locke (Heartstopper, Agatha All Along) will attend the Welsh premiere of Black Church Bay on Sunday 18 October, bringing the 20th anniversary edition of the festival to a close. Joe will be joined at Cineworld Cardiff by his co-star Tom Cullen (Weekend, House of the Dragon) and the film’s director, Rhys Marc Jones, for the special closing-night screening.

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Iris Prize Festival Director Berwyn Rowlands said: “We cannot imagine a better way to close our 20th anniversary festival. Joe’s presence will be a real treat for our audience, who will know him from his acclaimed performances in Heartstopper and Agatha All Along. “We’re thrilled to welcome him back to Wales and to celebrate Black Church Bay with Joe, Tom and Rhys on what promises to be a very special closing night.”

Joe Locke said: “I’m thrilled to be coming back to Wales for the Welsh premiere of Black Church Bay at Cineworld Cardiff, and to catch up with my co-star Tom and our director Rhys. I’m really looking forward to celebrating the film with the Iris Prize audience.”
Black Church Bay is one of 16 feature films screening during the festival’s landmark 20th anniversary edition, landing in Cardiff from the 12 – 18 October 2026.

Iris Prize returns with the support of the BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery Good Cause funding. Visit www.irisprize.org to see the full programme and to book tickets.


The main festival sponsors are: The Michael Bishop Foundation; The Welsh Government via Creative Wales; the BFI awarding funds from The National Lottery; Ffilm Cymru Wales; Film4; University of South Wales; Co-op Respect; Ymddiried - Media Grants Cymru, Bad Wolf; S4C; British Council Wales; Gorilla Group; Pinewood Studios; Attitude Magazine; Diva Magazine; Movie Marker; The Ministry Venues, and Transport for Wales. The festival also works in partnership BAFTA Cymru, Pride Cymru, and Visit Cardiff.

Joe Locke i fynychu première Cymru Black Church Bay yn Noson Olaf Gwobr Iris

Mae Gŵyl Ffilmiau LHDTQ+ Gwobr Iris – dathlu straeon byd-eang a swyn Caerdydd – yn falch iawn o gyhoeddi y bydd Joe Locke, sydd wedi ennill Gwobr Emmy (Heartstopper, Agatha All Along), yn mynychu première Cymru Black Church Bay ddydd Sul 18 Hydref, gan ddod â rhifyn 20fed pen-blwydd yr ŵyl i ben.
Bydd ei gyd-actor Tom Cullen (Weekend, House of the Dragon) a chyfarwyddwr y ffilm, Rhys Marc Jones, yn ymuno â Joe yn Cineworld Caerdydd ar gyfer y dangosiad arbennig sy'n nodi diwedd yr ŵyl.
Dywedodd Berwyn Rowlands, Cyfarwyddwr Gŵyl Gwobr Iris: “Allwn ni ddim dychmygu ffordd well o ddod â’n gŵyl ar achlysur ein pen-blwydd yn 20 oed i ben. Bydd presenoldeb Joe yn bleser mawr i’n cynulleidfa, sy’n ei adnabod o’i berfformiadau clodwiw yn Heartstopper ac Agatha All Along. “Rydym wrth ein bodd yn ei groesawu’n ôl i Gymru ac yn dathlu Black Church Bay gyda Joe, Tom a Rhys ar noson olaf sy’n addo bod yn un arbennig iawn.”

Dywedodd Joe Locke: “Rwyf wrth fy modd yn dychwelyd i Gymru ar gyfer dangosiad cyntaf Black Church Bay yng Nghymru yn Cineworld Caerdydd, ac i gwrdd â fy nghyd-actor Tom a’n cyfarwyddwr Rhys. Rwy’n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at ddathlu’r ffilm gyda chynulleidfa Gwobr Iris.”
Mae Black Church Bay yn un o 16 ffilm nodwedd sy’n cael eu dangos yn ystod rhifyn arbennig sy’n nodi pen-blwydd yr ŵyl yn 20 oed; cynhelir y digwyddiad yng Nghaerdydd rhwng 12 a 18 Hydref 2026.

Mae Gwobr Iris yn dychwelyd gyda chefnogaeth Cronfa Prosiectau Cynulleidfa'r BFI a'r Loteri Genedlaethol, sy'n dyfarnu cyllid Achosion Da y Loteri Genedlaethol. Ewch i www.irisprize.org i weld y rhaglen lawn ac i archebu tocynnau.


Prif noddwyr yr ŵyl yw: Sefydliad Michael Bishop; Cymru Greadigol, un o asiantaethau Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n cefnogi'r sectorau creadigol yng Nghymru; y BFI sy'n dyfarnu arian gan y Loteri Genedlaethol; Ffilm Cymru Wales; Film4; Prifysgol De Cymru; Co-op Respect; Ymddiried - Media Grants Cymru; Bad Wolf; S4C; Grŵp Gorilla; Pinewood Studios; Cylchgrawn Attitude; Cylchgrawn Diva; Movie Marker; The Ministry Venues; Trafnidiaeth Cymru; a Chyngor Prydeinig Cymru. Mae'r ŵyl hefyd yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth â BAFTA Cymru, Pride Cymru a Croeso Caerdydd.