Shortlist of 15 short films competing for LGBTQ+ Iris Prize Best British award revealed
Organisers of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival are delighted to announce the shortlist of 15 films competing for the Iris Prize Best British Supported by Film4 award. Also revealed are the two juries for the main prizes, with Bard Ydén, senior programmer at the Norwegian Short Film Festival, chairing the international jury, and Tim Highsted, Senior Film Editor of acquired feature films for Channel4, chairing the Best British jury.
The 15 films shortlisted for the Iris Prize Best British Supported by Film4 award include three films made in Wales: Skinny Fat (Mathew David), produced through our Ffolio scheme, and Nant (Tom Chetwode Barton) and Jelly (Samantha O’Rourke), both produced through our Beacons programme.
The films are presented in three separate programmes, with stories ranging from a teenage footballer coming to terms with his sexuality to a group of Regency-era women gossiping on the street about a notorious gay scandal, and a gay priest’s life-changing encounter with a rent boy, based on a true story.
Iris Prize 2022 – Best British Programmes
- Home Bird, Dir. Caleb Roberts
- The Piss Witch, Dir. Jason Barker
- Keep off the Grass, Dir. Francis Rudd
- Nant, Dir. Tom Chetwode Barton
- Silence, Dir. TJ O Grady Peyton
- Fluorescent Adolescent, Dir. Charlie Sharp
- Tommies, Dir. Brian Fairbairn and Karl Eccleston
- Hornbeam, Dir. Mark Pluck
- A Fox in the Night, Dir. Keeran Anwar Blessie
- Jim, Dir. Tom Young
- Jelly, Dir. Samantha O’Rourke
- Skinny Fat, Dir. Mathew David
- The Rev, Dir. Fabia Martin
- Queer Parivaar, Dir. Shiva Raichandani
- Looking for Barbara, Dir. Helen Kilbride
Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize Film Festival Director, said: ‘We are thrilled to be able to present to our audiences 15 short films made in Britain and supported by one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly broadcasters and champion of the Iris Prize.’
This year’s Best British award marks the continuation of a three-year sponsorship agreement with British producer/broadcaster Film4. The agreement will see Film4 acquire broadcast and streaming rights to each of the 15 British LGBTQ+ short films shortlisted for the Iris Prize Best British Short Supported by Film4.
All of the nominated films are eligible for consideration for BAFTA and can automatically be entered by the filmmakers.
The winner will receive a package of services sponsored by Pinewood Studios Group.
Jury Announcements for 2022
Iris Prize Jury (International) 2022
- Bard Yden, (Chair)
- Roxy Bourdillon, Diva Magazine
- Alastair James, Attitude Magazine
- Davinia-Louise Green, Stonewall Cymru
- Graham Cantwell, Who We Love
- Dennis Shiners, Barrio Boy
- Kamil Krawczycki, Elephant
- Norena Shopland, Historian
- Guto Rhun, S4C
- Sam Arbor, Iris Prize Winner 2021
Iris Prize Best British Jury 2022
- Tim Highsted, Channel 4 Television, (Chair)
- Yan White, The Queer Emporium,
- Rania Vamvaka, Glitter Cymru
- Dr Emily Garside, Writer
- Adam Ali, Iris Prize Winner 2021
Iris Prize Best British Performance Jury 2022
- Leo LeBeau, Birthday Boy
- James Bell, Birthday Boy
Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize Film Festival Director, added: ‘We are pleased to announce a brand new performance award this year, sponsored by Out and Proud, Iris Prize Best British Performance. Our 17 jurors this year for both the international prize and Best British awards represent the very best from our industry and LGBTQ+ community, with some returning alumni in their midst, such as Dennis Shinners (Area X, 2017, and Barrio Boy, 2014), and Adam Ali and Sam Arbor (Iris Prize winners, 2021 with BABA), and Norena Shopland, the Welsh author of LGBTQ+ histories.
‘We are also excited to be welcoming a host of filmmakers from home and abroad, along with cinema lovers from all over the country. This is the first “proper” Iris since 2019 and we can’t wait for 11 October to come.’