The shortlist will be announced at the annual Summer Party Event held for Iris Prize Members in Cardiff.
The films that have been shortlisted include a story about an earth-bound angel who plays Cupid, tales of drag artists and activists, stories of soul-searching and having to decide between the head and the heart, and a short inspired by the true story of the legendary ‘Ladies of Llangollen.’
Each shortlisted film will be streamed on Channel 4 for a year after the festival. All the nominated films are eligible for consideration for BAFTA and can automatically be entered by the filmmakers.
Iris Prize Best British Short Shortlist
Diomysus: More Than Monogamy
Dir: Emily Morus-Jones (5 mins) WALES
This experimental film features a group of mice voiced by members of the UK polyamorous community. Their identities are masked using puppetry, and they discuss their experiences of polyamory. The film asks the question: Are we, as the audience, more open to taboo ideas if unconscious bias is eliminated?
Divine Intervention
Dir: Ravenna Tran (17 mins)
To help an earth-bound angel get promoted, two ex-best friends must admit their love for each other.
Everything Looks Simple from a Distance
Dir: Conor Toner (13 mins)
With tensions escalating in 1969 Northern Ireland, Noah attempts to persuade politicians, financiers, priests, and paramilitary groups that a journey to the moon might be the most effective path to peace.
Fairview Park
Dir: Aymeric Nicolet, Ellie Hodgetts (14 mins)
A film depicting the murder of Declan Flynn, which was a significant catalyst for Ireland’s LGBTQ Pride movement.
G Flat
Dir: Peter Darney (18 mins) WALES
An 84-year-old stroke survivor calls for a sex worker, resulting in an unexpected turn of events.
“Every year, we are thrilled to share with our festival audience and juries the best of LGBTQ+ storytelling from across the UK, as Iris continues to celebrate global stories and Cardiff charm.”
Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize Film Festival Director
I Hope He Doesn’t Kill Me
Dir: Lyndon Henley Hanrahan, Nora Dahle Borchgrevink (14 mins)
Buzz waits outside the apartment building of his anonymous Grindr hookup, imagining all the depraved ways this night could end. Horrified yet horny, Buzz buzzes the buzzer.
Making Up
Dir: Ryan Paige (15 mins)
It’s the late 1980s in East End London, and Ted, a drag queen diagnosed with a hereditary illness, must reconcile with his estranged daughter, Cassandra.
Miss Temperance
Dir: Jeremy McClain (13 mins)
In Glasgow’s alternative queer party scene, a drag artist navigates the night of their return to the stage after completing one year of sobriety.
Rage Consumes Me
Dir: Felix Waverley-Hudson (5 mins)
This is an exploration of the non-binary experience, delving into the emotions of anger and despair as one’s personhood and identity are stripped away.
Rejoice!
Dir: David Ledger (15 mins)
After her husband’s death, an elderly vicar’s wife discovers a book of erotic fiction she wrote in her youth.
Sally Leapt out of a Window Last Night
Dir: Tracy Spottiswoode (20 mins) WALES
Ireland, 1778. Sally and Eleanor flout convention and scandalise society to escape the fate their families have planned for them. They elope, inspired by the true story of the legendary ‘Ladies of Llangollen.’
Sister Wives
Dir: Louisa Connolly-Burnham (28 mins)
Two sister wives, married to the same man, start developing feelings for each other.
Until Today
Dir: Megan Lyons (15 mins)
After her controlling mother orchestrates a loveless marriage, a young aristocrat faces the dilemma of fulfilling familial duty at the expense of a forbidden romance with her best friend.
Water’s Edge
Dir: Jason Barker (15 mins)
In near-future rural Somerset, Anna is trying to be a happily married woman, but the arrival of a troupe of travelling players on the farm tests her beliefs to the limit.
Who’s Kitty Amor?
Dir: Maik Diederen (22 mins)
Kitty Amor’s incredible journey from her upbringing in South London, to her clubbing years at Nottingham University, and her experiences running nights at the renowned Stealth nightclub, all the way to her international DJ success across the globe, is captured in this documentary short. The film also highlights her unwavering dedication to promoting Africa’s Electronic Music within the UK scene.
The winner of the Iris Prize Best British award will have their film exclusively screened at Pinewood Studios. They will also be invited to join the 2025 Iris Prize Best British Jury. All the films in the Best British 2024 shortlist will be shown on Channel 4 for a year, with a license fee paid to the filmmakers. Following this, the nominated films will have a non-exclusive second window on OUTTv’s global platforms.
You can view all the shortlisted films with extra details about the directors and images by following this link: 2024 Best British Shortlist – Iris Prize.
Save £30 by buying the Full Festival Pass for £110 during the Early Bird period (27 July – 11 August 2024) (Regular Price: £140)
