The films in the running for the £40,000 2025 LGBTQ+ Iris Prize

The shortlist for the 2025 LGBTQ+ Iris Prize was announced this week, with 35 films from 21 countries in the running, writes Jenny White

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FILMS from 21 countries have made it to the shortlist for the 2025 LGBTQ+ Iris Prize. The Iris Prize is the largest LGBTQ+ short film prize in the world, with the winner receiving £40,000 to make their next LGBTQ+ short, along with an invitation to sit on the 2026 Iris Prize Jury.

Held in Cardiff from October 13-19 this year, the 19th edition of the festival will be a celebration of global stories and Cardiff charm, highlighting the best that the city has to offer to a global audience.

Besides the main prize, the festival features several awards, including Best British Short, the Audience Award and the Iris feature film awards, with the £40,000 main prize supported by the Michael Bishop Foundation, a grant-giving body providing funding to registered charities in the UK.

This year's shortlist of international filmmakers runs to 35 short films from 21 countries - including contenders from Turkey and Pakistan.

Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize Film Festival Director, says: “Sharing LGBTQ+ stories, often ignored by the mainstream, is an important part of what Iris is all about. When we receive a film from a country for the first time, we get very excited. Although we've been active for 19 years, these are the first nominations from both Pakistan and Turkey.”

The films on the wide-ranging shortlist include tales of past loves, first loves, reunions, rekindling romance, racism, and family expectations and dynamics.