2026 Iris Prize

Lesbian Ditch Day

Lesbian Ditch Day starts as a rom-com-y, coming-of-age tale of two high school lesbians playing hooky, but through a fourth wall break, the film reveals itself to be just another queerbaiting tragedy.

DIRECTOR:

Olivia Cade

PRODUCER:

Marie Bland

WRITER:

Marie Bland

RELEASE YEAR:

2026

USA, 14 mins, Language: English

Director’s bio

Olivia Cade (she/her) is a performer/filmmaker/director whose work centres on community, queerness, and mental health advocacy. She wrote and starred in the film Give It To Me (Outfest ‘23, Atlanta Film Fest ‘23) which explored the connection between kink and the healing of trauma. Olivia has also collaborated on many femme-led creative teams as an assistant director, most notably on Beach Logs Kill (SXSW ‘24) and Pathological (Sundance ‘24).

Mae Lesbian Ditch Day yn dechrau fel stori gomedi-ramantus, dod i oed, am ddwy lesbiad ysgol uwchradd sy’n chwarae triwant, ond trwy dorri’r pedwerydd wal, mae’r ffilm yn datgelu ei hun i fod yn drasiedi pryfoclyd arall.

Bywgraffiad y cyfarwyddwr

Mae Olivia Cade (hi/hi) yn berfformiwr/gwneuthurwr ffilmiau/cyfarwyddwr y mae ei gwaith yn canolbwyntio ar gymuned, bod yn cwiar, ac eiriolaeth iechyd meddwl. Ysgrifennodd a serennodd yn y ffilm Give It To Me (Outfest ’23, Atlanta Film Fest ’23) a archwiliodd y cysylltiad rhwng cinc ac iachâd trawma. Mae Olivia hefyd wedi cydweithio ar lawer o dimau creadigol dan arweiniad menywod fel cyfarwyddwr cynorthwyol, yn fwyaf nodedig ar Beach Logs Kill (SXSW ’24) a Pathological (Sundance ’24).

2026 Iris Prize Shortlist