New member welcomed on to the Board of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival

Tuesday, 28 July 2026

 

New member welcomed on to the Board of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival

  • Cardiff entrepreneur Kelly Reardon-Brown joins the Board of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival
  • Kelly brings over 20-years experience working in sales, marketing, events, and media
  • 2026 marks 20 years of global storytelling at the prestigious BAFTA and BIFA qualifying festival for British short film, which opens on Monday 12 October
  • “We are confident that Kelly will help us become even more focused in celebrating Cardiff charm, helping us build even more relationships with businesses and partners to take Iris to another level.” Tom Abell, Iris Prize Chair

The organisers of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival – celebrating global stories and Cardiff charm are thrilled to announce that Kelly Reardon-Brown, the Interim Group Sales Director for the Eclipse Hotel Group, has joined the Board of the Cardiff-based international film festival.

After graduating in Biomedical Science, Kelly embarked on a sales career which has spanned 25 years in medical sales, top level sports, hospitality and major events, where she first encountered the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Fesitval in a commercial capacity as a sponsor at the Clayton Hotel. Kelly also presented the Breakfast Show on Radio Cadiff for over six years.

Kelly Reardon-Brown said: “I am honoured and delighted to be asked to join the Iris family, where I hope I can help the festival with all my commercial knowledge and contacts.

I have been an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community for as long as I could walk and talk, and I believe that what Iris does is so very important in order to support creativity, and tell the stories of the community.”

In welcoming Kelly to the Board, Iris Prize Chair Tom Abell said: “We are simply thrilled to have Kelly join us on the board. She’s a committed Cardiff girl born and bred who has the city flowing through her blood. There was an inevitability that she would find Iris or did Iris find her?

“In this our 20th year we have been taking stock and looking to the future. We are confident that Kelly will help us become even more focused in celebrating Cardiff charm, helping us build even more relationships with businesses and partners to take Iris to another level.

“We are delighted she has made the time to join our happy family, and I’m looking forward to moving a gear or two with Kelly’s joyous vision and optimism, which should guide us for another 20 years.”

The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival has hosted hundreds of filmmakers, producers, acting talent, big industry names, and this year will be no different, with the full programme will be unveiled on 5 September.  This year, Iris has delivered its strongest number of open submissions to date, combining record-breaking volume with a broad international spread and a carefully balanced access strategy.

The shortlist for the Best British Award, sponsored by Film4 and Pinewood Studios, will be revealed on 22 August 2026, at a special event hosted by Scene Festival, Manchester.

Full details about Iris can be found here: www.irisprize.org    

Iris Prize will return in 2026 for the 20th edition on Monday 12 October until Sunday 18 October.

 The main festival sponsors are: The Michael Bishop Foundation; Creative Wales, a Welsh Government agency that supports the creative sectors in Wales; the BFI awarding funds from The National Lottery; Ffilm Cymru Wales; Film4; University of South Wales; Co-op Respect; Ymddiried – Media Grants Cymru, Bad Wolf; S4C; Gorilla Group; Pinewood Studios; Attitude Magazine; Diva Magazine; Movie Marker; The Ministry Venues and Transport for Wales. The festival also works in partnership with British Council Wales,  BAFTA Cymru, Pride Cymru, and Visit Cardiff.