Iris Prize Festival 2015

The Iris Prize – The Iris Prize – Cardiff’s International lgbt short film prize supported by The Michael Bishop Foundation is the only short film prize in the world which allows the winner to make a new film. Iris is what film makers need – funding, support and guidance. The Iris Prize is presented annually during the Iris Prize Festival which takes place in Cardiff, Wales. The 2015 program will include up to 20 new feature films, screenings of all 30 short films competing for the Iris Prize and the 10 competing for the Best British Short, the Producers Forum, talks and lots of parties! Our country focus for 2015 will be Ireland. Cardiff, UK

Iris Prize Festival 2015

WELCOME / CROESO – THE IRIS PRIZE FESTIVAL 2015!
(THE IRIS PRIZE BOX OFFICE WILL OPEN ON MONDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 2015)

I remember fondly the inaugural Iris Prize Festival in 2007 and eating breakfast in my Cardiff hotel full of dashing French supporters in town for the Rugby World Cup. And here we are 8 years later sharing Cardiff once again with rugby supporters from all over the world. However this year we are playing our small part in the proceedings, supported by the Welsh Rugby Union.

I’m delighted that we are opening this year’s festival with a screening of Scrum. A powerful documentary following the fortunes of a group of gay men competing for the 2014 Bingham Cup – the Gay Rugby World Cup.

LGBT people are in a better position than they were 8 years ago. Ireland, our country focus for 2015, is a wonderful example of how far we have come. Making History is the emotional short film made by Anna Rodgers for the Gaze Film Festival in Dublin, documenting the historic same-sex marriage referendum victory. You can see the film and many more documenting how LGBT people are represented there in our Ireland Focus.

Unfortunately our newspapers and web-feeds have seen a dramatic increase in the number of stories of gay men tortured and thrown to their death at the hands of ISIS. Their evil is extended to women and children – there is much work to be done.

The films we have at Iris, to entertain and educate, are destined to stimulate debate and discussion. This is what comes naturally to people who are able to join us at our special annual festival. I also hope you will find enough time to “watch films, party nightly, repeat!” This is our new slogan for 2015 – it will be interesting to see who will survive the full five days!

The five days will, as they have every year, be over in a flash! It is worth reminding ourselves the Iris Prize machine is now a year round operation. Our work with schools has this year taken us beyond Cardiff, visiting Newport, Rhondda and Ysgol David Hughes in Menai Bridge, Anglesey. I specifically mention Ysgol David Hughes as this was Berwyn’s secondary school. I know that he and his small team punch above their weight and it is my pleasure to work with them allowing Iris to grow.

The awarding of a Big Lottery Grant earlier this year will allow Iris to work to build tolerance and understanding of Wales LGBT communities, promoting equality and diversity alongside community cohesion. I look forward to updating you about this important and significant work over the next three years.

Finally, I would like to thank our growing number of funders and sponsors, especially my good friend Lord Glendonbrook, who has generously increased his funding of Iris via The Michael Bishop Foundation to £35,000.

Enjoy Iris 2015 and keep 12 – 16 October 2016 free in your diary – our 10^th anniversary promises to be a very special festival with events taking place throughout the year!

Andrew Pierce
Chair, Iris Prize

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