This includes films by Fox Fisher, Amy Leonard and Jojo Bossman
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGES PROVIDED BY IRIS PRIZE
Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival has announced the shortlist of 15 films competing for the 2026 Iris Prize Best British Short, sponsored by Film4 and Pinewood Studios. This announcement was made at a special event hosted by Scene Festival in Manchester today (22 August).
Marking its 20th year, the Iris Prize will return from 12 October until 18 October. At this year’s Iris Prize, there will be a dedicated Best British Day on 16 October. This will involve the shortlisted film programmes screening and the Best British award announcement in the evening.
Each of these films will be streamed on Channel 4 for a year after the festival, and are eligible for consideration for BAFTA. Iris Prize festival director, Berwyn Rowlands, said, “We are here to share stories, meet filmmakers, and harness the energy that you all bring to the festival, and of course our audience can decide about the films for themselves during the festival in Cardiff or when the Best British Shorts appear on Channel 4 post festival.”
The shortlist includes:
Between Breath & Silence
Dir. Nicole Pott. UK. 2026. 18 mins.
When his terminally ill father returns home, a young gay man must confront years of silence, family tensions and the possibility that time is running out.
Bluebird
Dir. Maya Yoncali. UK. 2026. 18 mins.
Noah leaves London behind for the industrial banks of the Thames, where they’re invited into a state of in-between, as the city fades away and the river turns to sea.
Every Time I See A Cock I Go Funny
Dir. Lyndon Henley Hanrahan. UK. 2026. 21 mins.
When a Yorkshire coal miner’s trousers get stolen, a scandal erupts that sinks the colliery into turmoil, exposing the hypocritical, horny heart of postwar British pride and masculinity.
Hugged People, Hug People
Dir. Jojo Bossman. UK. 2026. 6 mins.
Following an incident at a party, Nadia and Oko try to piece together their feelings by dissecting the anatomy of a hug and what it means to hold another person.
Keith
Dir. Steven Fraser. Scotland, UK. 2025. 8 mins.
Keith tells the story of the filmmaker who found a dead body behind the rubbish bins at his flat in Glasgow.
Life Of Kai
Dir. Fox Fisher. UK. 2026. 22 mins.
A decade-long chronicle of Kai, a young trans boy coming of age amidst a shifting landscape of trans rights in the UK, as he navigates the complexities of identity, acceptance, medical transition and the pursuit of happiness.
Magid / Zafar
Dir. Luís Hindman. UK. 2025. 18 mins.
Tensions arise amidst the heat of a busy British Pakistani takeaway.
Making It Fit
Dir. Mariana Leal. UK. 2025. 5 mins.
A short documentary film about how the LGBTQIA+ community has been reinventing funerary and remembrance rituals to better support and reflect the way people live in community.
Meet Frankie
Dir. Steven Kunis. UK. 2026. 14 mins.
When Guy introduces the man he loves to his parents, a Sunday lunch takes an unexpected turn. Funny, poignant and surprising, Meet Frankie explores love, family expectations, and the enduring pull of the past.
Molly
Dir. Darius Shu. UK. 2026. 23 mins.
A chance encounter at a launderette sparks a meaningful connection between Vinnie and Ryan. As closeness blurs into desire, they are forced to confront what love demands before it fractures everything they have built.
None Of Us?
Dir. Holly Eysselinck. UK. 2026. 9 mins.
The traditional picture of new grad success finds herself slowly dissolving into an online existence. In a space where nothing means anything, how do you still feel like a winner?
Notice Me
Dir. Amy Leonard. UK. 2025. 18 mins.
When Em moves to East London to kick-start her podcasting career, she soon finds that three seconds of prolonged eye contact with her sexy neighbour AJ sends her into a complete sapphic spiral.
Please Mistress
Dir. Alia Ramna. Wales, UK. 2025. 14 mins.
Based on lived experience, this darkly funny film traces Ayesha’s dive into online sex work. Varied interactions with her invisible clientele help her find her power as a trans woman.
Requirements
Dir. Caroline Hajny. UK. 2025. 18 mins.
After 10 years of living abroad, immigrant Elena is tantalisingly close to receiving her citizenship. But as the government expands control over its people, a new mind-reading technology is used to filter out undesirable applicants whose innermost thoughts and values do not fully align with them. Elena has to decide between the future she has built with her girlfriend or moving back home, a country ravaged by its own regime, which would consider her relationship illegal.
Yellow Bucket
Dir. Simon Brooke. UK. 2025. 16 mins.
A scientific discovery shakes Connor and his family.
Passes for the Best British Day are available to buy at the reduced rate of £40 until 3 September. Full details about Iris can be found here: irisprize.org.
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