Why Submit To Iris? Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely

Long-time friends of Iris, directing duo Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely returned to the festival in 2025 with their debut feature Departures, following earlier screenings of Mirrors (Best British 2015), Closets (Best British 2015) and S.A.M (Best British 2020).

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• You’re both long-time Iris alumni. How has your relationship with Iris evolved over the years?

L and N- it's been a wonderful journey with Iris - it feels like family and home for me and Neil, they have supported us as filmmakers from our first shorts to our first feature and have been such an important journey in that development - it's not only a film festival but also a support and uplift for queer filmmakers to be recognised in the industry.

• Having returned with a feature, does Iris feel like a different experience compared to when you first screened your short films?

Yeah it feels like a beautiful full circle moment and lovely to have audiences who watched our shorts now watch the feature film we've made 10 years later.

• Now that Departures has been released in UK cinemas, how important are film festival screenings in helping secure a UK distribution?

So important, distributors and sales agents look at film festivals to sell feature films with laurels on posters and trailers etc it's a huge part of it so having Iris support Departures was such an important moment for us in getting distribution.

• You both took part in the Iris Industry Day, which returned in 2025 after a break. What was it like being part of that, and how important do you think spaces like this are for filmmakers?

I really love Industry Day because it gives you such a great opportunity to connect with people who share the same passion for filmmaking. It’s not just about networking in a formal sense, but about genuinely getting to know other creatives, hearing their ideas, and sharing your own. You get to build meaningful relationships with new filmmakers, discover potential collaborators for future projects, and exchange inspiration. On top of that, it’s a really welcoming environment where you can meet like-minded people, form lasting friendships, and feel part of a creative community that supports and motivates each other.

• You’ve recently wrapped your second feature Chatlines. What can you tell us about the project, and how does it build on—or differ from—Departures?

It's an expansion of my first short film Closets which won best of British 2015 at Iris, it's in the same universe - it's a really special one for us ! And has expanded on making films independently as punk spirit films. It's LBGTQ sci-fi wanted to make something a bit different that we could make on an indie self funded budget.

• For filmmakers considering making their first feature, what’s one piece of practical advice you’d give about self-financing or getting a project off the ground?

Enjoy the filmmaking process and hold on to the reason you fell in love with it in the first place. The business and sales side can be tough, and producing often continues long after the shoot has wrapped, so it’s important to stay grounded in that passion. Surround yourself with a strong support network of fellow filmmakers—people you can lean on, collaborate with, and lift each other up on the inevitable difficult days. Don’t give up. Even if it means shooting one weekend a month for a year, you can still end up with a feature film. There’s no single “right” way to make a film, and no rulebook you have to follow. The industry doesn’t always embrace unconventional approaches, and it can sometimes feel exclusive—especially if you don’t come with backing from major institutions. But don’t let that stop you. Stay determined, trust your process, and keep pushing forward.

• You’ve built a strong partnership as a directing duo. How do you approach collaboration, and what do each of you bring to the creative process?

I think because we are exes from ten years ago that went from loves to enemies to best friends it built something very unique haha! We have found a rhythm thats hard to explain in words but somehow just works! In departures Neil very much took the reins on performance, and I had a lot of trust acting for the first time and was led by Neil.

• As Iris celebrates its 20th anniversary, what would you say to filmmakers thinking about submitting their work this year?

DO IT! You will find family friends for life and be part of the LGBTQ Oscars it's the best festival on the planet!

• Finally, what excites you most about the future of LGBTQ+ storytelling in UK cinema right now?

Independent films sneaking back into cinemas if we've done it you can do it too!

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Useful Links:

• Mirrors (2015)
• Closets (2015)
• S.A.M (2020)
• Departures (2025)
• Iris Industry Day 2025