Iris Prize winners announced – the ‘Oscars’ of the LGBTQ+ short film world

Queer Parivaar, directed by Shiva Raichandani, has won the Iris Prize Best British Short Supported by Film4 and Pinewood Studios. The winner will receive a package of services sponsored by Pinewood Studios Group and all of the nominated films are eligible for consideration for BAFTA and can automatically be entered by the filmmakers.    
  
The winners of all awards categories were announced at a special awards ceremony on Saturday night marking the successful end to the festival’s return to being a fully face-to-face event.
 
Tom Abell, Chair of the Iris Prize, said: ‘I would like to congratulate Berwyn and the whole Iris team on this outstanding 16th edition of The Iris Prize.  We are so pleased to have been able to welcome national and international filmmakers back to Cardiff to celebrate queer filmmaking in all its colours, bringing to Wales and the rest of the UK the very best in short film making and queer creativity.  
 
‘I would also like to thank the juries for their careful thoughts, discussions and lively conversations that have delivered this year’s winners including the first ever award for a role that goes beyond the binary. As always Iris leads the way.’

The Winners

Iris Prize

The winner of the Iris Prize Supported by The Michael Bishop Foundation is Tarneit, directed by John Sheedy (Australia). Tyrone lives with his mother and her boyfriend Pommy, a lowlife drug dealer who despises immigrants and homosexuals. Tyrone’s best friend Clinton, a refugee, lives with his older brother Shaker, who also has similarly firm ideas about race and sex. Despite these obstacles, the boys share a bond, both deaf, both neglected by family, and each dreaming of escaping from the brutal violence that surrounds them.  

Bård Ydén, Chair of the Jury, said: ‘The quality of the films in competition is as high as it is diverse, and we've been on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the selection process - which is exactly where we want films to take us.
 
‘A number of films stood out, however, and in particular, Tarneit. It touched us in numerous ways, through exceptional storytelling and performances. This is a multi-layered film that will stay with you and we can't wait to see what the filmmaker will present us with in the future.
 
‘The highly commended films were films we loved for different reasons, and it was important for us to highlight diversity in representation, storytelling, and craft - all three are impressive and unique films that deserve to be mentioned.’
 
The highly commended films are:       

• Tank Fairy, directed by Erich Rettstadt 雷利 (Taiwan)
• Kapemahu, directed by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, Daniel Sousa (Animation Director) (USA)
• A Wild Patience Has Taken Me Here, directed by Érica Sarmet (Brazil)

Best British

The winner of the Iris Prize Best British Short supported by Film4 and Pinewood Studios is Queer Parivaar, directed by Shiva Raichandani
When a mysterious gatecrasher appears at their wedding, Madhav and Sufi are forced to face past secrets and reflect on what makes a family. 

Tim Highsted, Channel 4, and Chair of the Iris Prize Best British Short jury, said: ‘This year’s British shorts at Iris once again reveal an array of talented filmmakers – from the joyful and warm winning short, Queer Parivaar, directed by Shiva Raichandani – through to all the films that were shortlisted. 

‘It was an almost impossible task to select from all the films, but the jury felt special commendations should go to the witty The Rev, directed by Fabia Martin for its humour; the beautiful and subtly observed drama A Fox in the Night, directed by Keenan Anwar Blessie set in south London and the haunting and poetical Nant, directed by Tom Chetwode Barton.
 
‘I am also delighted to announce Film4’s renewal of support for the Iris Prize and the Best British Short for a further three years. Iris is a unique organisation that presents the best and most original LBGTQ+ work each year and like Channel 4 showcases original talent and stories, which we can bring to audiences through All4 after the festival has ended.’

The highly commended films are: 

• A Fox in the Night, directed by Keeran Anwar Blessie
• Nant, directed by Tom Chetwode Barton
• The Rev, directed by Fabia Martin 

Best British Performance Awards Supported by Out And Proud

Best Performance in a Female Role: Claudia Jolly - for the role of ‘Lydia Willis’ in Tommies
Best Performance in a Male Role: Gary Fannin - for the role of ‘Jim’ in Jim
James Bell and Leo LeBeau, judges for the Best British Performance Awards said: ‘Awarding a performance is no easy task, as all actors bring incredible work to the table and have our utmost respect for what they do. 
 
‘When watching the Best British Shorts we looked for the actors that we believed through and through, who were able to fully utilise every moment that they had on screen. 
 
‘We thought Gary Fannin gave a phenomenal performance in Jim, taking us on a believable rollercoaster of emotions that elevated the story.
 
‘Claudia Jolly gave a powerful and realistic performance in Tommies. Her star power lifted the piece and it was a true joy to watch.’ 

Feature Film Awards

This year’s Best Feature was chosen by a jury of students from the University of South Wales Film and TV School Wales 
 
The Feature Film Jury have awarded in four categories: 

• Iris Prize Best Feature Award sponsored by Bad Wolf: Metamorphosis, Jose Enrique Tiglao, (Philippines). Raised as a boy, fifteen-year-old Adam harbours a secret: he has both male and female genitalia. Experiencing menstruation for the first time, his whole life is thrown into turmoil. As he discusses the possibility of gender reassignment surgery with doctors, tensions begin to build between the teenager and his devout Christian parents, but he forms a surprising bond with Angel, an older transfer student at his high school who harbours a secret of her own.  
• Iris Prize Best Performance in a Male Role sponsored by Attitude Magazine: Giancarlo Commare as Antonio in Mascarpone
• Iris Prize Best Performance in a Female Role sponsored by DIVA Magazine: Lacey Oake as Izzy in Before I Change My Mind 
• Iris Prize Best Performance in a role Beyond the Binary, sponsored by Peccadillo Pictures: Gold Azeron as Adam in Metamorphosis

Youth Award

The winner of the Youth Award is Breathe, directed by Harm van der Sanden (Netherlands). A lyrical coming of age film which follows two school friends from childhood to young adulthood, as their friendship matures into something more romantic.

Community Awards

sponsored by Mark Williams in memory of Rose Taylor

• Community Short: Want/Need, directed by Niamh Buckland
• Education Short: The Bed, directed by Thalia Kent-Egan
• Microshort: Hold Me Close Please, directed by Max Roberts

Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize Film Festival Director said: ‘There was a great energy about the festival this year, which was helped by having the international filmmaking community return to Cardiff, the perfect host city. 
 
‘The films were warmly received by our audience and the winners are proving to be a popular choice. Although the in-person festival has come to an end our UK audience can still enjoy the online programme till the end of October.’