Iris Prize announces 15 queer films shortlisted for the 2026 Best British Short award

Iris Prize has announced its 15 queer films shortlisted for the 2026 Best British Short award, which will take place on 16 October 2026 as part of the 20th edition of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

The full event will take place in Cardiff from Monday 12 October to Sunday 18 October 2026 and will feature 14 different awards, including Best British Short.

On 16 October, the event will feature screenings of all 15 shortlisted films, a special lunch and the awards ceremony, hosted by Stifyn Parri, as well as a performance by Iris Prize Patron Heather Small.

Iris Prize Festival Director Berwyn Rowlands welcomes the 2026 nominees

Iris Prize Festival Director Berwyn Rowlands spoke about the ever-improving standard of British films nominated at the festival, with 2026 being no exception.

“For many filmmakers this is simply the standard for storytelling in the UK. I love watching the standard improving year after year,” he said.

“The success of Best British Day last year has allowed us to build for the 20th anniversary, and this birthday year promises to be one of the best yet,” said Rowlands.

All 15 shortlisted films will be streamed on Channel 4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikg6Mmy9c3c

“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.”

All 15 shortlisted films will be streamed on Channel 4 for one year after the festival and will be eligible for BAFTA consideration. The winner of the Iris Prize Best British award will be invited to join the 2027 Iris Prize Best British Jury.

Tim Highsted, Senior Editor, Acquired Feature Films at Channel Four Television, said: “I’m delighted once again to head up the Best British Short Jury at this year’s Iris Prize, which continues to introduce and showcase the unique talent of filmmakers across the UK.”

Writer and director Chris Urch won the 2025 Best British Short Film Award for his directorial debut, Blackout, starring former Attitude cover star Mawaan Rizwan.

The 15 shortlisted films are eligible for seven awards/categories:

• Iris Prize Best British Short Award, sponsored by Film4 and Pinewood Studios
• Best British Performance in a Female Role
• Best British Performance in a Male Role
• Best British Performance Beyond the Binary
• Iris Prize Co-op Audience Award
• Iris Prize Youth Jury Award
• Iris Prize Elders Jury Award

The 15 shortlisted films are:

1. Between Breath & Silence — directed by Nicole Pott; a young gay man confronts family tensions when his terminally ill father returns home.
2. Bluebird — directed by Maya Yoncali; Noah leaves London and enters an ambiguous, dreamlike space alongside the Thames.
3. Every Time I See A Cock I Go Funny — directed by Lyndon Henley Hanrahan; a stolen pair of trousers causes chaos in a Yorkshire coal-mining community and exposes attitudes towards masculinity.
4. Hugged People, Hug People — directed by Jojo Bossman; Nadia and Oko explore their feelings and the meaning of physical intimacy following an incident at a party.
5. Keith — directed by Steven Fraser; a filmmaker recounts discovering a dead body behind the bins at his Glasgow flat.
6. Life of Kai — directed by Fox Fisher; a decade-long chronicle of a young trans boy growing up amid changes to trans rights in the UK.
7. Magid / Zafar — directed by Luís Hindman; tensions emerge inside a busy British Pakistani takeaway.
8. Making It Fit — directed by Mariana Leal; a documentary about LGBTQIA+ communities reinventing funeral and remembrance rituals.
9. Meet Frankie — directed by Steven Kunis; a Sunday lunch takes an unexpected turn when a man introduces his boyfriend to his parents.
10. Molly — directed by Darius Shu; a connection between two men develops into desire, forcing them to confront what love demands.
11. None Of Us? — directed by Holly Eysselinck; a new graduate’s idea of success dissolves into an online existence.
12. Notice Me — directed by Amy Leonard; a woman develops an intense crush on her sexy neighbour after a prolonged moment of eye contact.
13. Please Mistress — directed by Alia Ramna; based on lived experience, the film follows Ayesha as she enters online sex work and finds empowerment as a trans woman.
14. Requirements — directed by Caroline Hajny; an immigrant awaiting citizenship must choose between the life she has built with her girlfriend and returning to a country where their relationship would be illegal.
15. Yellow Bucket — directed by Simon Brooke; a scientific discovery shakes Connor and his family.