LGBTQ+ film festival’s Opening Night sees four new films premiered and a packed night of fun as a fitting welcome home to #Iris23

• Premieres for three short films made in Wales, along with Some Girls Hate Dresses, directed by Mena Fombo, the first recipient of the Iris Prize Documentary Film Finance Fund
• Domestic and international filmmakers make their way to Cardiff for the 17th edition of Wales’ largest film festival, offering the world’s biggest prize for a short film
• Angharad Mair from S4C’s primetime magazine programme Heno returns as host for Opening Night, along with Jolene Dover and a host of other guests
• “Every year we welcome a host of talented storytellers and filmmakers to Cardiff to showcase the very best of the very best. This year is no exception.”
Iris Prize Film Festival Banner - Cardiff
As Cardiff prepares to welcome the biggest gathering of LGBTQ+ filmmakers, the 17th Iris Prize Film Festival’s Opening Night brings you the best of Welsh filmmaking, with four new short films being premiered on Tuesday 10 October at 7pm. At Vue Cinema, Wood Street.
Angharad Mair from S4C’s primetime magazine programme returns as host for the evening.  She will be ably assisted by the ever-glamourous Jolene Dover, and they will be welcoming special guests and filmmakers from around the world. The South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus will be providing the entertainment, along with guests Adam Knopf (director of Lost Boys and Fairies for the BBC), Mena Fombo (Some Girls Hate Dresses), and Emily Morus-Jones (Diomysus). The international celebration of diversity and visibility of the LGBTQ+ community begins at 7pm with the UK premiere of four short films, three of them made in Wales, all of which were created by women.  There will be a post screening party supported by the Co-op, Cote Cardiff City Centre and The Cinnamon Tree Pontcanna.
Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize Film Festival Director, said: “Opening Night, fittingly, is the moment during the festival when Wales shouts loud and proud to the world – look what we are, and here are our stories. Every year we welcome a host of talented storytellers and filmmakers to Cardiff to showcase the very best of the very best. This year is no exception.” This year, Iris boasts 18 programmes of short films, including three captioned Best British programmes; 12 stunning queer features; public talks with Euros Lyn, Emily Garside, Paul Davies and Russell T Davies, sponsored by Creative Collective; and the Iris Film Academy industry sessions, supported by an investment from Arts & Business Cymru’s Culture Step programme in recognition of Cardiff University’s support to Iris. There is also late-night music with Voya and Ivor Woods at Stadium Plaza.
Berwyn continued: “I am particularly proud to have Adam Knopf with us at Opening Night as he has spent over six months this year working with Team Iris working on Lost Boys and Fairies, a major BBC drama production.  Adam also helped us deliver storytelling workshops to a cohort of young people earlier this year as part of our commitment to supporting future talent. “Team Iris hope you enjoy our offering at Opening Night, and of course the feast of talent and film we have on offer for the next six days.  Croeso i Gaerdydd.”
Here are the four films showing at Opening Night:
  • A Cardiff Ghost Story | 3 mins 2023
A Cardiff Ghost Story is an animated love letter to the city and two little known queer Welsh icons who broke boundaries during their lifetimes. Written and made with love by people who love and live there. Made by Jay Bedwani, Glen Biseker, Efa Blosse-Mason, Mathew David, Amy Morris & Paulo Russo
  • Some Girls Hate Dresses | 20 mins 2023
A nostalgic look into the black British tomboys from yesteryear told through the lens of queer black women who wore the label with pride throughout the 1990s. Directed by Mena Fombo, the first recipient of the Iris Prize Documentary Film Finance Fund, sponsored by FROOT and Aberystwyth University.
  • Penguin |15 mins 2023
Cardiff, UK. Modern Day. Teddy Sandalls can’t understand why he can’t find someone to love him. Encouraged by his roommate, Ffion Sydney-Morris he enters the world of online dating. But when Teddy finds love, and as Ffion’s relationship fails, will Teddy learn a new meaning of love? Directed by Lily Lawson-Broadhead. Since beginning her degree at the University of South Wales, Lily has specialised in writing, producing/production management, and script supervision. For her final year she directed both a documentary, and ‘Penguin.’
  • Diomysus | 5 mins, 2023
An experimental film where a group of mice (voiced by members of the UK polyamorous community whose identities are masked using puppetry) discuss their experiences of polyamory. Diomysus asks the question - are we (the audience) more open to taboo ideas if unconscious bias is eliminated? Made by Emily Morus-Jones, a Welsh Puppeteer and Puppet maker for film, TV, theatre and live events.
Tickets are available at irisprize.org/2023-box-office or in person from 10 -15 October 2023 at the Festival Box Office at Vue Cardiff. If you are not a member of Iris, we encourage you to join here: Iris Membership - Iris Prize

Mae Noson Agoriadol gŵyl ffilm LHDTQ+ yn cynnwys pedair ffilm newydd sy’n cael eu dangos am y tro cyntaf a noson llawn hwyl fel croeso adref addas i #Iris23

  • Dangosiadau cyntaf ar gyfer tair ffilm fer a wnaed yng Nghymru, ynghyd â Some Girls Hate Dresses, wedi'i chyfarwyddo gan Mena Fombo, derbynnydd cyntaf Cronfa Cyllid Ffilm Ddogfennol Gwobr Iris
  • Mae gwneuthurwyr ffilm domestig a rhyngwladol yn dod i Gaerdydd ar gyfer yr 17eg ŵyl ffilm fwyaf yng Nghymru, gan gynnig gwobr fwyaf y byd am ffilm fer
  • Angharad Mair o raglen gylchgrawn oriau brig S4C Heno yn dychwelyd fel cyflwynydd Noson Agoriadol, ynghyd â Jolene Dover a llu o westeion eraill
  • "Bob blwyddyn rydym yn croesawu llu o storïwyr a gwneuthurwyr ffilmiau talentog i Gaerdydd i arddangos y gorau o'r goreuon. Nid yw'r flwyddyn hon yn eithriad."
Wrth i Gaerdydd baratoi i groesawu'r casgliad mwyaf o wneuthurwyr ffilmiau LHDTQ+, mae 17eg Noson Agoriadol Gŵyl Ffilm Gwobr Iris yn dod â'r gorau o’r byd creu ffilmiau Cymreig i chi, gyda phedair ffilm fer newydd yn cael eu dangos am y tro cyntaf ar nos Fawrth 10 Hydref am 7pm yn Sinema Vue, Stryd Wood.
Mae Angharad Mair o raglen gylchgrawn oriau brig S4C yn dychwelyd fel cyflwynydd ar gyfer y noson.  Bydd hi'n cael ei chynorthwyo'n fedrus gan Jolene Dover, a byddant yn croesawu gwesteion arbennig a gwneuthurwyr ffilm o bob cwr o'r byd. Bydd Corws Dynion Hoyw De Cymru yn darparu'r adloniant, ynghyd â'r gwesteion Adam Knopf (cyfarwyddwr Lost Boys and Fairies i'r BBC), Mena Fombo (Some Girls Hate Dresses), ac Emily Morus-Jones (Diomysus). Mae'r dathliad rhyngwladol o amrywiaeth a gwelededd y gymuned LHDTQ+ yn dechrau am 7pm gyda première y DU o bedair ffilm fer, gyda thair ohonynt wedi eu gwneud yng Nghymru, pob un ohonynt wedi'u creu gan fenywod.  Bydd parti ôl-sgrinio gyda chefnogaeth y Co-op, Canol Dinas Cote Caerdydd a Coeden Cinnamon Pontcanna.
Dywedodd Berwyn Rowlands, Cyfarwyddwr Gŵyl Ffilm Gwobr Iris: "Noson Agoriadol, yn briodol, yw'r foment yn ystod yr ŵyl pan fydd Cymru'n gweiddi'n uchel ac yn falch i'r byd - edrychwch beth ydyn ni, a dyma ein straeon. Bob blwyddyn rydym yn croesawu llu o storïwyr a gwneuthurwyr ffilmiau talentog i Gaerdydd i arddangos y gorau o'r goreuon. Nid yw'r flwyddyn hon yn eithriad.” Eleni, mae Iris yn brolio 18 rhaglen o ffilmiau byrion, gan gynnwys tair rhaglen Gorau Ym Mhrydain, gyda chapsiynau; 12 ffilm nodwedd queer trawiadol; sgyrsiau cyhoeddus gydag Euros Lyn, Emily Garside, Paul Davies a Russell T Davies, a noddir gan Creative Collective; a sesiynau diwydiant Academi Ffilm Iris, gyda chefnogaeth buddsoddiad gan raglen Culture Step Arts & Business Cymru i gydnabod cefnogaeth Prifysgol Caerdydd i Iris. Mae yna hefyd gerddoriaeth gyda'r nos gyda Voya ac Ivor Woods yn Plaza’r Stadiwm.
Aeth Berwyn yn ei flaen: "Rwy'n arbennig o falch o gael Adam Knopf gyda ni yn y Noson Agoriadol gan ei fod wedi treulio dros chwe mis eleni yn gweithio gyda Thîm Iris yn gweithio ar Lost Boys and Fairies, cynhyrchiad drama mawr gan y BBC.  Fe wnaeth Adam hefyd ein helpu i gyflwyno gweithdai adrodd straeon i garfan o bobl ifanc yn gynharach eleni fel rhan o'n hymrwymiad i gefnogi talent yn y dyfodol. "Mae Tîm Iris yn gobeithio y byddwch yn mwynhau ein cynnig yn y Noson Agoriadol, ac wrth gwrs y wledd o dalent a ffilm sydd gennym ar gael am y chwe diwrnod nesaf.  Croeso i Gaerdydd."
Dyma’r pedair ffilm sy’n dangos yn ystod Noson Agoriadol: A Cardiff Ghost Story | 3 munud, 2023 Mae A Cardiff Ghost Story yn llythyr cariad animeiddiedig i'r ddinas a dau eicon Cymreig queer anadnabyddus a dorrodd ffiniau yn ystod eu hoes. Wedi'i hysgrifennu a'i gwneud gyda chariad gan bobl sy'n caru ac yn byw yno. Wedi'i gwneud gan Jay Bedwani, Glen Biseker, Efa Blosse-Mason, Mathew David, Amy Morris a Paulo Russo
  • Some Girls Hate Dresses |20 munud, 2023
Golwg hiraethus ar y tomboys Prydeinig du o’r oesoedd a fu a adroddir trwy lygaid menywod du queer a wisgodd y label gyda balchder trwy gydol y 1990au. Cyfarwyddwyd gan Mena Fombo, derbynnydd cyntaf Cronfa Cyllid Ffilm Ddogfennol Gwobr Iris, a noddir gan FROOT a Phrifysgol Aberystwyth.  
  • Penguin |15 munud, 2023
Caerdydd, DU. Yr oes hon. Ni all Teddy Sandalls ddeall pam na all ddod o hyd i rywun i'w garu. Wedi'i annog gan ei gydletywraig, Ffion Sydney-Morris, mae'n mynd i fyd dêtio ar-lein. Ond pan fydd Teddy yn dod o hyd i gariad, ac wrth i berthynas Ffion fethu, a fydd Teddy yn dysgu ystyr newydd i gariad? Cyfarwyddwyd gan Lily Lawson-Broadhead. Ers dechrau ei gradd ym Mhrifysgol De Cymru, mae Lily wedi arbenigo mewn ysgrifennu, cynhyrchu/rheoli cynhyrchu, a goruchwylio sgriptiau. Am ei blwyddyn olaf bu'n cyfarwyddo rhaglen ddogfen a 'Penguin'.
  • Diomysus | 5 munud, 2023
Ffilm arbrofol lle mae grŵp o lygod (a leisiwyd gan aelodau cymuned amlgarwriaethol y DU y mae eu hunaniaethau'n cael eu cuddio gan ddefnyddio pypedwaith) yn trafod eu profiadau o amlgarwriaeth. Mae Diomysus yn gofyn y cwestiwn - ydyn ni (y gynulleidfa) yn fwy agored i syniadau tabŵ os caiff rhagfarn anymwybodol ei ddileu? Wedi'i gwneud gan Emily Morus-Jones, gwneuthurwr pypedwr a phypedau o Gymru ar gyfer ffilm, teledu, theatr a digwyddiadau byw.
Mae tocynnau ar gael yn irisprize.org/2023-box-office neu yn bersonol rhwng 10 a 15 Hydref 2023 yn Swyddfa Docynnau'r Ŵyl yn Vue Caerdydd. Os nad ydych yn aelod, rydym yn eich annog i ymuno yma: Iris Membership - Iris Prize