Two other films received special mentions for their compelling, heartfelt storytelling
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE PROVIDED BY IRIS
Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival has announced the winner of the Best British Short Film Award: Molly by Darius Shu. The jury also gave special mentions to the films Life Of Kai and Yellow Bucket.
Molly tells the story of a chance encounter between Vinnie and Ryan at a launderette. Speaking about this film, the jury said, “With its striking visuals, sensitive performances and delicate handling of its original and less frequently examined subject matter, this is a bold and original drama.”
As the winner of the Iris Prize Best British Short Film Award, Darius will be invited to be part of the 2027 jury. All the films in the Best British shortlist will be streamed on Channel 4 for one year.
Life Of Kai, one of the films the jury gave a special mention to, was directed by Fox Fisher. The documentary is a decade-long chronicle of a young trans boy as he navigates coming of age. The second film the jury gave a special mention to was Simon Brooke’s Yellow Bucket, which sees a scientific discovery shake a gay teenager and his family.
For the Best British Performance awards winners: Sarah Ridgeway (Yellow Bucket) was awarded Best Performance in a Female Role, Eben Figueiredo (Magid / Zafar) for Best Performance in a Male Role and Lilit Lesser (Bluebird) for Best Performance in a Role Beyond the Binary.
You will be able to stream the Best British Shortlist from 17 October on Channel 4.
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