Opening Night thrills with not THE fantastic four, but four short films

• Including Where Are All the Gay Superheroes?
• Showcasing Bender Defenders, made by Ira Putilova, the second recipient of the Iris Prize Documentary Film Finance Fund
• Angharad Mair (Heno, S4C) returns to host the evening which features two Welsh language films, Fisitor and Teth
• “Opening Night is always special, and 2024 promises to be the best as we start celebrating global stories and Cardiff charm.”
As Iris makes her fabulous return to Cardiff, this year she will be greeted by not one, but two superheroes flying high above the streets of the capital city, albeit on our banners on Wood Street or on the ground, on our special festival mugs. The organisers of The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival – celebrating global stories and Cardiff charm are pleased to invite you to attend our fabulous Opening Night on Tuesday, 8 October, at 7pm, at Vue Cinema, Stadium Plaza, Cardiff. Four very different films will be shown during the evening, including two films from Wales, a superhero sci-fi comedy, and a film made by the second recipient of the Iris Prize Documentary Film Finance Fund Sponsored by OUTflix and Aberystwyth University.

Get Tickets for Opening Night

Kate Herron (above) to the stage for an exclusive Q&A session. From Marvel’s Loki, Doctor Who, Sex Education, and Five by Five, Kate has made an indelible mark on our watch history. Kate is a writer-director, working across film, television and comic books and has captured global audiences with her storytelling. With an upcoming episode of The Last of Us still on the horizon, you won’t want to miss this!

Get Tickets for Kate Herron Talk

Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival Director, said: “Opening Night is always special, and 2024 promises to be the best as we start celebrating global stories and Cardiff charm. The evening is presented by our good friend Angharad Mair (Heno, S4C) and includes four amazing short films, and some very special guests including Heather Small. “Following the screenings and introductions to our six-day festival of LGBTQ+ storytelling, there will be dancing on level 3 of our HQ at Stadium Plaza, with Jolene Dover supervising, and refreshments thanks to the Co-op and the Cinnamon Tree in Pontcanna.”
Opening the screenings on the evening is Where Are All the Gay Superheroes? directed by Tom Paul Martin, is a British short film that combines elements of sci-fi, drama and comedy. Professional superheroes Sterling and Meridian have just finished saving the day (again) when suddenly, they find themselves in a rare moment alone. The suits come off, but when old tensions and old enemies return, our “heroes” learn the dark truth about who they are underneath. Tom will be in attendance on Opening Night.

Watch Trailer: https://youtu.be/DlKhhbqkDFI

Tom Paul Martin, director of Where Are All the Gay Superheroes? said: “We know gay heroes exist - so why are they still nowhere to be found in superhero movies? Our film explores the comedy and the tragedy of supposedly all-powerful characters who are fighting simply to exist. Maybe change is on the horizon, as Marvel introduces a new character played by out gay actor Joe Locke - but now is the time to explore the legacy of superhero films on LGBTQIA+ audiences, and how there is power in putting queerness front and centre.”
Fisitor, directed by Llyr Titus, is a Welsh language film (with English subtitles), which tells the tale of Ioan, who is stalked by grief for his husband and a nightmarish creature from Welsh folklore. Ioan must do his best to survive Christmas Eve.  Llyr will be in attendance on Opening Night.
Bender Defenders, is directed by Ira Putilova, who is the recipient of the Iris Prize Documentary Film Finance Fund Sponsored by OUTflix and Aberystwyth University. This is the story of four members of a queer Muay Thai club in London. The club focuses on confronting rising hate crime by teaching martial arts to queer, trans and non-binary people and running self-defence classes for their community.  Ira will be in attendance on Opening Night. Finally, Teth, directed by Peter Darney, is a Welsh language film (with English subtitles.) Following surgery, Ioan and his father adapt to their new relationship as father and son, that is until the dog mistakes a nipple for a chew toy.  Peter will be in attendance on Opening Night.
Berwyn continued: “Iris is special because we offer the largest prize in the world for a short film - £30,000 to make another short film in Wales – and also because you can be sure to meet up with filmmakers, actors, and industry specialists from across the globe over the festival’s six days. This isn’t something that happens when you attend a mainstream cinema showing, or certainly not by watching streamed box sets and film at home. “There is a lot of light and shade within the stories that we’re sharing, but these are the stories that filmmakers want to share with an audience in 2024, and they reflect the world we’re living in today.”

Noson Agoriadol yn ein swyno gyda phedair ffilm fer

  • Gan gynnwys Where Are All the Gay Superheroes?
  • Dangos Bender Defenders, a wnaed gan Ira Putilova, ail dderbynnydd Cronfa Cyllid Ffilm Ddogfennol Gwobr Iris
  • Angharad Mair (Heno, S4C) yn dychwelyd i gynnal y noson sy'n cynnwys dwy ffilm Gymraeg, Fisitor a Teth
  • "Mae Noson Agoriadol bob amser yn arbennig, ac mae 2024 yn addo bod y gorau wrth i ni ddechrau dathlu straeon byd-eang a swyn Caerdydd."
Wrth i Iris ddychwelyd i Gaerdydd, eleni bydd hi'n cael ei chyfarch gan ddau archarwr yn hedfan yn uchel uwchben strydoedd y brifddinas, er ar ein baneri ar Stryd Wood neu ar lawr gwlad, ar ein mygiau gŵyl arbennig. Mae trefnwyr Gŵyl Ffilm LHDTQ+ Gwobr Iris – dathlu straeon byd-eang a swyn Caerdydd yn falch o'ch gwahodd i fynychu ein Noson Agoriadol wych ddydd Mawrth, 8 Hydref, am 7pm, yn Sinema Vue, Plaza’r Stadiwm, Caerdydd. Bydd pedair ffilm wahanol iawn yn cael eu dangos yn ystod y noson, gan gynnwys dwy ffilm o Gymru, comedi ffuglen wyddonol arwyr, a ffilm a wnaed gan ail dderbynnydd Cronfa Cyllid Ffilm Ddogfennol Gwobr Iris a noddir gan OUTflix a Phrifysgol Aberystwyth.

Cael Tocynnau

Mae Iris yn agor o ddifrif ar brynhawn dydd Mawrth 8 Hydref, pan fyddwn yn croesawu Kate Herron i'r llwyfan ar gyfer sesiwn holi ac ateb unigryw. O Loki gan Marvel, Doctor Who, Sex Education, a Five by Five, mae Kate wedi gwneud marc annileadwy ar ein hanes gwylio. Mae Kate yn awdur-gyfarwyddwr, yn gweithio ar draws llyfrau ffilm, teledu a chomig ac mae wedi cipio cynulleidfaoedd byd-eang gyda'i storïau. Gyda phennod sydd ar ddod o The Last of Us yn dal ar y gorwel, ni fyddwch am golli hyn!

Sgwrs Kate Herron

Dywedodd Berwyn Rowlands, Cyfarwyddwr Gŵyl Ffilm LHDTQ+ Gwobr Iris: "Mae Noson Agoriadol bob amser yn arbennig, ac mae 2024 yn addo bod y gorau wrth i ni ddechrau dathlu straeon byd-eang a swyn Caerdydd. Cyflwynir y noson gan ein ffrind da Angharad Mair (Heno, S4C) ac mae'n cynnwys pedair ffilm fer anhygoel, a rhai gwesteion arbennig iawn gan gynnwys Heather Small. "Yn dilyn y dangosiadau a'r cyflwyniadau i'n gŵyl adrodd straeon LHDTQ+ chwe diwrnod, bydd dawnsio ar lefel 3 ein Pencadlys yn Plaza’r Stadiwm, gyda Jolene Dover yn goruchwylio, a lluniaeth diolch i'r Co-op a'r Cinnamon Tree ym Mhontcanna."
Agor y dangosiadau ar y noson mae Where Are All the Gay Superheroes?  ffilm fer Brydeinig gan Tom Paul Martin, sy'n cyfuno elfennau o ffuglen wyddonol, drama a chomedi. Mae'r archarwyr proffesiynol Sterling a Meridian newydd orffen achub y dydd (eto) pan yn sydyn, maen nhw'n cael eu hunain mewn eiliad brin ar eu pennau eu hunain. Mae'r siwtiau yn dod i ffwrdd, ond pan fydd hen densiynau a hen elynion yn dychwelyd, mae ein "harwyr" yn dysgu'r gwirionedd tywyll am bwy ydyn nhw oddi tano. Bydd Tom yn bresennol ar Noson Agoriadol.
Dywedodd Tom Paul Martin, cyfarwyddwr Where Are All the Gay Superheroes?: "Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod arwyr hoyw yn bodoli - felly pam nad ydyn nhw'n dal unman i'w gweld mewn ffilmiau archarwr? Mae ein ffilm yn archwilio comedi a thrasiedi cymeriadau holl-bwerus sy’n ymladd i fodoli. Efallai bod newid ar y gorwel, wrth i Marvel gyflwyno cymeriad newydd a chwaraeir gan yr actor hoyw Joe Locke - ond nawr yw'r amser i archwilio etifeddiaeth ffilmiau archarwyr ar gynulleidfaoedd LHDTQIA +, a sut mae pŵer i roi bod yn queer yn y blaen ac yn y canol."
Ffilm Gymraeg yw Fisitor, a gyfarwyddwyd gan Llyr Titus, sy'n adrodd hanes Ioan, sy'n cael ei stelcio gan alar am ei ŵr, a chreadur hunllefus o lên gwerin Cymru. Rhaid i Ioan wneud ei orau i oroesi Noswyl Nadolig.  Bydd Llyr yn bresennol ar Noson Agoriadol.
Cyfarwyddwyd Bender Defenders gan Ira Putilova, derbynnydd yr ail wobr o Gronfa Cyllid Ffilm Ddogfennol Gwobr Iris a noddir gan OUTflix a Phrifysgol Aberystwyth. Dyma stori pedwar aelod o glwb Muay Thai queer yn Llundain. Mae'r clwb yn canolbwyntio ar wynebu troseddau casineb cynyddol trwy ddysgu crefft ymladd i bobl queer, traws ac anneuaidd a chynnal dosbarthiadau hunanamddiffyn ar gyfer eu cymuned.  Bydd Ira yn bresennol ar Noson Agoriadol. Yn olaf, mae Teth, a gyfarwyddwyd gan Peter Darney, yn ffilm Gymraeg. Yn dilyn llawdriniaeth, mae Ioan a'i dad yn addasu i'w perthynas newydd fel tad a mab, hynny yw nes bod y ci yn camgymryd teth am degan cnoi.  Bydd Peter yn bresennol ar Noson Agoriadol.
Aeth Berwyn yn ei flaen: "Mae Iris yn arbennig gan ein bod yn cynnig y wobr fwyaf yn y byd am ffilm fer - £30,000 i wneud ffilm fer arall yng Nghymru - a hefyd oherwydd y gallwch chi fod yn sicr o gwrdd â gwneuthurwyr ffilm, actorion, ac arbenigwyr diwydiant o bob cwr o'r byd dros chwe diwrnod yr ŵyl. Nid yw hyn yn rhywbeth sy'n digwydd pan fyddwch chi'n mynd i sinema brif ffrwd yn dangos, neu yn sicr nid trwy wylio setiau blwch a ffilm wedi'u ffrydio gartref. "Mae yna lawer o olau a chysgod o fewn y straeon rydyn ni'n eu rhannu, ond dyma'r straeon y mae gwneuthurwyr ffilmiau eisiau eu rhannu gyda chynulleidfa yn 2024, ac maen nhw'n adlewyrchu'r byd rydyn ni'n byw ynddo heddiw."