One of the standout films of Iris 2025, Rainbow Girls made a strong impression on audiences and received a Special Mention, placing it among the festival’s top three films. The short serves as a proof-of-concept for a feature exploring friendship, survival, and belonging among three young trans women navigating life on society’s margins.
- Team Iris, Tue 10 March 2026
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We caught up with director Nana Duffuor to reflect on her experience at Iris — from sharing the film with Cardiff audiences to staying with a Friend of Iris host and connecting with fellow filmmakers from around the world. As she continues developing the feature version of Rainbow Girls, Nana also shares why festivals like Iris remain such important platforms for emerging filmmakers.
Read the full interview below.
Rainbow Girls received a Special Mention at Iris 2025. how did it feel being in the top three?
I was completely taken by surprise! I didn't know we'd been selected until the film started playing on screen. I think my jaw dropped. There were so many incredible films that screened in the festival, so having ours chosen as one of the top three was a real honor.
You joked that Wales gave you the “most stoic audience response to-date” — what was it actually like watching Rainbow Girls with the Iris audience?
It still is! Céline Jackson (who plays Gemini in the film) was sitting there next to me, and we were like, "did they hate it?" The Iris audience was very reserved compared to audiences in the U.S., and we wondered whether the comedic elements in the film were working at all. But by the time we got to the question-and-answer portion of the screening, we could tell that the audience was deeply engaged and inquisitive about the film.
You called the journey of sharing Rainbow Girls “an unexpected adventure.” What’s surprised you most about this festival run so far?
The audience response has really exceeded my expectations. This is a time when the film industry in the U.S. is contracting significantly, and stories centering Black people, LGBTQ+ people are the first to go. So to see our story that centers Black trans characters in the San Francisco Bay Area receive such overwhelming support from audiences in many different parts of the world lets us know the world is ready for the Rainbow Girls!
You attended Iris in person and stayed with a Friend of Iris host. What was that experience like? Did it make the festival feel more personal?
I had the privilege of staying with the indomitable Lisa Power. Funny enough, one of the executive producers for Rainbow Girls is acclaimed director Cheryl Dunye. I learned that Lisa hosted Cheryl years ago, when Cheryl's short film "Black is Blue" was up for the Iris Prize. It was a nice kind of full circle moment.
You submitted through the open call. What would you say to filmmakers thinking about submitting to Iris 2026?
I'd say go for it! What do you have to lose?
Was there a particular moment during the festival that stayed with you?
I really enjoyed getting to connect with my fellow filmmakers, who came from all over the world to Cardiff. The prize winner, Alex Farah, was someone whose work I admired, but we'd never met in person. Getting to explore Cardiff with him and his partner was a delight.
Alexander Farah - 2025 Iris Prize Winner
As someone building toward a feature, what kind of festival platform do emerging filmmakers truly need — and where does Iris fit into that?
As filmmakers, we spend so much energy and resources making the film, it's important that it gets seen by the audiences that are hungry for it. Iris was our UK premiere, and it opened the doors for many more international screenings for our film. In terms of what's needed towards building a feature, I'm still learning. Hopefully I'll return to Cardiff with the Rainbow Girls feature and share what I've learned.
