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 San Francisco State University, Dunye is at work on her next feature film BLACK IS BLUE.

“I can’t wait to experience life and culture in Cardiff during the Iris Prize Festival. More than anything, I’ll be looking for films that highlight racial and gender diversity within the LGBTQ+ community.”