2016 Jury Archive

Cheryl Dunye

CHAIR Iris Prize International Jury

Cheryl Dunye emerged as part of the 90’s “queer new wave” with her Teddy winning debut film THE WATERMELON WOMAN. A member of the Academy, Dunye’s films foreground issues of race, sexuality and identity. Presently a Professor of Cinema at...

Neil David Ely

Neil is a Manchester based writer/ director. He co-wrote and produced romantic comedy Three In A Bed, which won the Audience Favourite award at the Cinema Diverse film festival. The film was released on DVD, reaching No1 in the UK and US...

Katie White

Award winning writer, Scottish BAFTA NTA nominee and pro-active member of the Scottish Independent filmmaking scene – Katie wrote / co-produced 2015’s Iris Prize winning Best British short ‘Middle Man.’ She is beyond delighted to have her team’s next short,...

Christian Webb

Christian is a 21 year old campaigner from Swansea, and was named Stonewall’s Young Campaigner of the Year 2015, and named an Attitude Magazine Pride Hero. As part of his campaigning, he went back to his former secondary school and...

Theresa Heath - Ellul

Theresa Heath is a PhD candidate researching Queer Film Festivals and Cinema at King’s College, London. She is also founder and producer of Wotever DIY Film Festival, a queer event showcasing low-budget work by the LGBTQ community. “I’m really excited...

David Calderon

David Calderon is the PR, Communications and Events Manager at Gay Star News. With almost 10 years experience in PR ranging from film and now LGBTI media. His talents also include digital journalism, marketing, and social media

Charlie Francis

Charlie is a filmmaker from Glasgow, and was previously on Iris’ International Jury. He’s looking forward to introducing friends to this year’s Iris while hopefully nicking the new talent featured. He can be found crying over Final Draft™ and reminiscing about the time Danny Boyle said, “Please leave...

Scott Flashheart

One of those Shoreditch queers, Scott spends his time pretending to be witty on the internet. He talks a lot, which is handy since he does stuff on the radio and YouTube. He’s a qualified masseur, lifeguard and ordained minister....

Martin Briggs

Martin is a retired gay activist.

Lloyd - Eyre Morgan

Writer/Director Lloyd Eyre-Morgan trained at UCLA Film School his movies have received showings and release at: Picturehouse Cinemas London and Cineworld North West. Lloyd’s movies have had large worldwide DVD Sales e.g.: Dream On – TLA Releasing 2012 – Best...

Helen Wright

Helen Wright is co-founder and Coordinator of Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF), which is an annual celebration of queer media and community in Scotland. Helen is also co-founder of queer collective, Lock Up Your Daughters Filmmaking, and a freelance...

Frances Hendron

Iris Prize Best British Jury Chair

Frances Hendron has always loved film. Though 20 years in Glasgow, she comes from Northern Ireland.  For 13 of these she ran the Celtic Media Festival.  She has been a juror for film festivals in Canada and the UK.  Recent...

Michael Gamilla

Michael Gamilla is the Programming Director of ImageOut Rochester LGBT Film Festival in Upstate New York. His love for movies and his desire to serve the LGBTQ community have equally fueled his passion to volunteer for the Film Festival for...

Arkasha Stevenson

Arkasha Stevenson is a Los Angeles based writer and director. Stevenson is a graduate from the prestigious directing program at the American Film Institute. Her thesis film Vessels about black market breast enhancement procedures within the transgender community was awarded...

Andrew Murphy

Andrew was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He began working with the Atlantic Film Festival in 1999, serving as Programming Manager, overseeing the AFF Programming Department, helping secure Galas, Special Presentations as well as foreign independent titles, niche...

Malan Wilkinson

Malan Wilkinson works as Deputy Artistic Director of Galeri, Caernarfon – a not for profit community enterprise operating as a Development Trust. Galeri holds the vision that: “anything is possible…through creative thought and sustainable action”. Malan also coordinates the PICS...

Doug Langway

American screenwriter, editor and film director, best known for the multiple award-winning BearCity trilogy returns to Iris Prize with the already award-winning BearCity 3. He appears as himself in Malcolm Ingram’s 2010 documentary Bear Nation, and is a producer of...

Sarah Rotella

Sarah Rotella directs short films, web series, and features with her debut feature length film, Almost Adults. Her directing efforts have garnered 80+ million YouTube views and her films have been screened in 80 international film festivals including the Toronto...

Phillip Wyn Jones

Philip Wynn Jones is a freelance editor and reviewer, has been commenting on films since the early 1970s and has published two books on the subject. He has reviewed films on radio, TV and in various publications, both in print...

Maria Pecchioli

Maria Pecchioli is an interdisciplinary artist, her practice shifts between performing art, filmmaking and curatorial projects focus on social practices, group working and activism In 2009 she co-founded Radical Intention collective and since 2010 she has been directing the Corniolo...

Nathan Adloff

Nathan Adloff made his feature film debut with “Nate & Margaret” (Director/Co-Writer/Producer). It sold for worldwide distribution prior to completion and received a commendatory review from Roger Ebert. “Miles” is his second semi-autobiographical feature, starring Molly Shannon and Paul Reiser, which...

Rod Thomas

Bright Light Bright Light is Neath’s Rod Thomas who has toured the world with Elton John, Ellie Goulding and John Grant, won fans of Pet Shop Boys and Michele Visage and worked with Alan Cumming and all Scissor Sisters members...