Record-breaking number of filmmakers to attend Iris Prize’s 20th edition

Monday, 12 October 2026

 

  • All shortlisted Best British films are represented at the festival
  • All Student Short films are represented at the festival
  • Over half of the films shortlisted for the Iris Prize are represented at the festival
  • Over half the feature films are represented at the festival
  • Over 80% of the community, education, and micro short films are represented at the festival

Monday 12 October sees the return of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival – a celebration of global stories and Cardiff charm to Cineworld Cardiff and with the iconic Iris comes a host of stars and influencers from all over the world.

Opening Night (Monday 12 October) sees talent from Wales shine, as five new films are screened, four from Wales and featuring Welsh talent. The media will gather and have an opportunity to speak to many of the filmmakers and talent from our shortlisted films in competition as well as others from the films showcased on opening night.

This year’s Opening Night programme features the following films, and all the filmmakers will be in attendance:  

  • Love Is Not An Emotion – dir. Will Collins
  • Cranogwen a Fi – dir. Mari Izzard
  • Wear I Am – dir. Vicky Morton
  • Try – dir. Lewis Bayley
  • Behind The Scenes of the Pink Portraits 2026 – dir. Kole Parrott

Other talent present at Opening Night include:
Victoria Broom (Actor)
Suzanne Packer (Actor)
Marmalade (Drag Queen, Ru Paul’s Drag Race)
David Grundy (BBC Cymru Wales)
Felicity Evans (BBC Cymru Wales
Ali Afzal (Actor)
Bolly Illusion (Drag Queen)
Marc Antolin (Actor)
Rajdeep Choudhury (Iris Alumnus – flying in from India)
Leo Drayton (Writer and Actor)

Throughout the week there will be an opportunity to meet filmmakers, talent, and Iris alumni from all over the world including the following:

Andrew Haigh (Director, Weekend)
Tom Cullen (Actor, Weekend and Black Church Bay)
Joe Locke (Actor, Black Church Bay)
Donna Deitch (Director, Desert Hearts)
Daniel Ribeiro (Director, I Am Going to Miss You , and Iris Alumnus and 2011 Iris Prize winner for I Don’t Want to Go Back Alone)
Chris Urch (Director, Best British Jury member, and Iris Alumnus and 2025 Best British Short winner for Blackout)
Paul ‘Stumpy’ Davies (S4C)
Lisa Baker (Writer, Madfabulous)
Norena Shopland (Writer and historian)
Mickey Down and Konrad Kay (Creators, Industry)
Adam Knopf (Director and Producer)

Iris Prize Festival Director Berwyn Rowlands said: “Sharing stories that the mainstream ignore is one of our USPs. This is followed by offering our audience a chance to meet the talent who have created the films. This is something the broadcasters and streaming platforms are unable to do. But at a friendly festival such as Iris, we encourage everybody to make the most of having direct access to directors, writers, producers, and actors.”

Iris Prize returns for the 20th edition on Monday 12 October until Sunday 18 October, with the support of the BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery Good Cause funding. Visit www.irisprize.org  to see the full programme and to book tickets’

The main festival sponsors are: The Michael Bishop Foundation; The Welsh Government via Creative 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; British Council Wales; Gorilla Group; Pinewood Studios; Attitude Magazine; Diva Magazine; Movie Marker; The Ministry Venues, and Transport for Wales. The festival also works in partnership BAFTA Cymru, Pride Cymru, and Visit Cardiff.