Filmmakers Luke Faulkner and Denny Redmond are set to represent Ireland at the prestigious 2025 Iris Prize with their bold and darkly comic short film, Fr. Brennan is Having a Breakdown! The self-funded project is one of 35 international films shortlisted for the Iris Prize, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ short film award, offering £40,000 to create a new LGBTQ+ short, along with a seat on the 2026 Iris Prize Jury.
The 19th edition of the Cardiff-based festival runs from October 13 to 19, 2025, and will welcome a record number of attending filmmakers. The shortlisted films span 21 countries, with Pakistan and Turkey appearing for the first time—a significant milestone in the festival’s mission to amplify queer stories across global contexts.
Faulkner and Redmond’s film, which first premiered as part of the GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival, centres on the chaotic emotional spiral of Fr Brennan, a ‘quare’ Irish priest, played by Redmond himself, as he attempts to deal with a rather delicate issue involving local golden boy Richard Hennessy (Adam Phelan). Blending irreverence with uncomfortable truths, the film has already been described as “sexy, pathetic, putrid, and prestigious”, a combination that promises to intrigue international audiences.
Director Luke Faulkner said, “It’s such a privilege to be shown alongside so many brilliant international shorts, and we’re extremely grateful to Gregory Lee Thorpe, James Hudson and the GAZE Film Festival team for championing our little film to such great heights.” Writer and actor Denny Redmond added, “We want to win.”
Iris Prize Director Berwyn Rowlands commented, “We’re proud to showcase stories often ignored by mainstream media. Welcoming filmmakers to Wales and sharing their work with our audiences is what makes Iris unique.”
The 2025 Iris Prize works with 20 international partner festivals to select a significant portion of the shortlist, with the remaining entries chosen by a pre-selection jury. Stories featured this year touch on themes of love, loss, identity, family dynamics, racism, and personal reckoning.
Tickets for the Iris Prize go on general sale from September 18 (or for members from September 11), with a range of passes available. All shortlisted films will also be available to watch online, where viewers can vote for the Co-op Audience Award.
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