An Irish queer film has been chosen as one of the 12 nominees for this year’s Iris Prize, with a student jury choosing the winning film at the LGBTQ+ Film Festival.
The themes for this year’s films include coming of age and coming out, family obligations, small-town scandal, and sex, lies, and cold-blooded murder.
The films screened during the six-day festival will be from 10 different countries across the world, including three films directed by previous Iris Prize alumni. The feature films chosen for the first face-to-face festival since 2019 come from the USA, Canada, Poland, Norway, Australia, Italy, Lebanon, Ireland, the Philippines, and Thailand.
Irish interest lies in Who We Love, directed by Ireland’s Graham Cantwell. Who We Love has also been nominated for six IFTA Awards, including best film, director and script, and was adapted from the short film Lily, shortlisted for the Iris Prize in 2017.
As described, the jury for the Best Feature category will be made up of University of South Wales Film and TV students. “Being on the jury of a world-class film festival is definitely one for the CV and will undoubtedly give them a great start in their chosen screen career,” say organisers.
So, been watching some of the @irisprize films and have had to resort to the tissues several times to wipe away a tear or few- some very moving stories!! https://t.co/URK44VTJ63
— Norena Shopland 🌈🏴 🕯️🇺🇦🕯️ (@NorenaShopland) September 16, 2022
The Cardiff-based LGBTQ+ film festival also boasts the world premiere of Barrio Boy, directed by Iris alumnus Dennis Shinners, who has been previously shortlisted for Area X in the inaugural Iris Prize festival of 2007, and for the short version of this feature, in 2013.
Other features being shown during the six-day festival include Before I Change My Mind, directed by Trevor Anderson, another Iris alumnus who has had three films shortlisted previously including Rock Pockets, 2007; The Island, 2009, and The Little Deputy, 2015. This will be Trevor’s first feature, and he will be attending the festival. Also showing is So Vam, made by Alice Maio Mackay, a 16 year-old Trans woman from Australia.
Congratulations Graham Cantwell on your #IFTA nominations for Director – Film and Script – Film for #WhoWeLove! pic.twitter.com/p0C4xyu34r
— Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) (@IFTA) February 23, 2022
The Feature Films for 2022 are:
Barrio Boy | Dir. Dennis Shinners | USA
Before I Change My Mind | Dir. Trevor Anderson | Canada
Elephant | Dir. Kamil Krawczycki | Poland
Fire Island | Dir. Myles Clohessy | USA
Hello World | Dir. Kenneth Elvebaak | Norway
Lonesome | Dir. Craig Boreham | Australia
Mascarpone | Dir. Alessandro Guida | Italy
SIRENS | Dir. Rita Baghdadi | USA/Lebanon
So Vam | Dir. Alice Maio Mackay | Australia
Who We Love | Dir. Graham Cantwell | Ireland
Metamorphosis | Dir. Jose Enrique Tiglao | Philippines
Yes or No | Dir. Saratsawadee Wongsomphet | Thailand
The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ film festival will take place in Cardiff from October 11-16 this year. More information and tickets can be found here.
© 2022 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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