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iris prize 2025

Revealing the 35 short films competing for the 2025 Iris Prize

The 35 films that have made the cut for the prestigious Iris Prize and will be screened in person at the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival, a celebration of global stories and Cardiff charm, have been revealed.

This year, the 19th edition of the festival runs for a full week from 13 – 19 October and the box office opens for general sales on 18 September, (general sales for members from 11 September) with Full Festival Passes, Industry Day Passes, Day Passes, and Weekend Passes already available.

The shortlist of international filmmakers competing for the coveted £40,000 Iris Prize Short Film Competition supported by The Michael Bishop Foundation is unveiled today. This year’s shortlist features films from 21 countries, including two from Turkey and one from Pakistan – two countries who have submitted films for the first time ever.

The Iris Prize has 20 international partner festivals who nominated 18 of the shortlisted films, with the remainder chosen by a pre-selection jury.  The shortlisted films tell stories ranging from recounting tales of past loves, reunions, rekindling romance, racism, family expectations and dynamics, and first loves.

Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize Film Festival Director, said: "Sharing LGBTQ+ stories, often ignored by the mainstream, is an important part of what Iris is all about. When we receive a film from a country for the first time, we get very excited. This year's shortlist includes work from Pakistan and Turkey and although we've been active for 19 years this is the first nomination for both countries.

"Sharing these stories on the big screen is important, but welcoming the filmmakers to Wales to meet our audience is the secret ingredient that makes Iris a special festival.

"This year we are expecting more filmmakers to join us for the week. And if you can't make it to Cardiff this year, you can see all the short films online and vote for your favourite film. The most popular film will win the Iris Prize Co-op Audience Award."

The 35 films shortlisted for the 2025 Iris Prize are:

  • Birthdays. Dir. Adrian Jalily.
  • Buscando Alma. Dir: Melissa Fisher.
  • Cats Can Teach You To Die Alone. Dir: Hanuš. 
  • Clementine. Dir: Sally Tran.
  • Cousin. Dir: Alejandro Jato.
  • Damp. Dir: Etsen Chen.
  • Dandelion. Dir: Fiona Obertinca.
  • Fr. Brennan is Having a Breakdown!  Dir: Luke Faulkner.
  • Game Rules. Dir: Christian Zetterberg.
  • Hi Mom, It’s Me, Lou Lou.  Dir: Atakan Yilmaz.
  • Hold Still. Dir: Emily Dynes.
  • If I’m Here It Is By Mystery. Dir: Clari Ribeiro.
  • I’m The Most Racist Person I Know. Dir: Leela Varghese.
  • Jasmine That Blooms in Autumn. Dir: Chandradeep Das
  • Krizalit. Dir: Arantxa Ibarra and Naz Tokgöz.
  • Marleen. Dir: Jop Leuven.
  • My Senses Are All I Have to Offer. Dir: Isadora Neves Marques.
  • Nebenan / Next Door.  Dir: Lukas März.
  • One Day This Kid. Dir: Alexander Farah.
  • Organza’s Revenge. Dir: Walter Scott.
  • Rainbow Girls. Dir: Nana Duffuor. 
  • Ripe! Dir: Tusk. 
  • Second Spring. Dir: Olexi Chubun.
  • Souvenir. Dir: Renée Marie Petropoulos.
  • Sweetheart. Dir: Luke Wintour. 
  • The Dysphoria. Dir: Kylie Aoibheann
  • The Hammer of Witches. Dir: Marin Håskjold. 
  • The Passion According to Karim. Dir: Axel Würsten.
  • Toad Song. Dir: Qin Qin.
  • Touch Me With Your Eyes. Dir: Anaïs Kabore.
  • Two People Exchanging Saliva. Dir: Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh. 
  • While We Still Have Time. Dir: Ava Grimshaw-Hall.
  • With Love, Lottie. Dir: Lily Drummond.
  • Witness. Dir. Radha Mehta and Saif Jaan.
  • Zari. Dir. Shruti Parekh.