Iris Prize LGBTQ Film Festival announces shortlist for Best British Short

Iris Prize LGBT Film Festival has announced the shortlist of films nominated for the Best British Short award, as well as the juries for Best British and the juries for the Iris Prize, Best British, and the new category, Best British Performance. 

15 films are up for the Best British award, supported by Film4, at the Cardiff-based LGBTQ film festival, including three Welsh films – Skinny Fat (Mathew David); Nant (Tom Chetwode Barton); and Jelly (Samantha O’Rourke). 

The winner will receive a package of services sponsored by Pinewood Studios.

The nominees for the Best British award are:

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, the Iris Prize LGBT Film Festival Director, says: “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.”

2022 marks the third year that the category has been supported by Film4, who will broadcast and stream the 15 films. The films can also be entered for BAFTA consideration by the filmmakers.  

Iris has also announced the juries for the Iris Prize (International), Iris Prize Best British, and Iris Prize Best British Performance awards.

Bard Ydén, a senior programmer at the Norwegian Short Film Festival is set to chair the international jury, and Tim Highsted, Senior Film Editor of acquired feature films for Channel4, will chair the Best British jury.

Iris Prize (International) Jury 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 says, “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.’

The festival returns in person from 11 – 16 October. Full details about Iris Prize can be found at irisprize.org and tickets can be booked here.

The Attitude September/October issue is out now.