Jim wins 2022 Iris Prize Co-op audience award

The Iris Prize LGBT Film Festival has announced that the winner of the Iris Prize Co-op Audience Award for 2022 is Jim, by filmmaker Tom Young.

The film also won Best Performance in a Male Role for Gary Fannin as the titular character at the Iris Prize festival in Cardiff.

Written and directed by Tom Young, Jim was inspired by true events in west London, in 1982. Gay priest Jim Fitzsimmons reaches a decision: he is going to spend one night with a rent boy. The night will change Jim’s life forever, but not for the reasons he expects.

Reacting to the news Tom Young says, “I’m delighted that Jim has spoken to audiences at Iris. I fell in love with the life story of the real-life priest behind the film after making a documentary about him in 2018, and it is great to have brought a part of that to life.

“Our hope now is to expand that into a feature biopic, so to have this recognition means a lot. A huge thank you to my cast – especially Gary who’d already deservedly won Best Actor – and crew, to Iris for the original nomination, and to Iris audiences for their support.”

The runner-up for the Co-op Audience Award is Skinny Fat, made in Wales by Mathew David, and in third place, What Is A Woman, by Marin Håskjold from Norway.

Rebecca Birkbeck, Co-op’s Director of Community and Member Participation congratulates Tom on his win adding, “It is important that everyone is able to live their life openly and without fear.”

She also says, “Co-op’s vision is “Co-operating for a Fairer World”, and the Iris Prize once again illustrates the power representation on screen can play, helping to achieve the changes we want to see for our society.”

From Monday (7 November) all 15 short films nominated for the 2022 Iris Prize Best British award will be available to watch on Channel4 (Check listings here) They will also be available on All4 after broadcast.

Berwyn Rowlands, the Iris Prize Film Festival Director, says of the three-year partnership with Film4, “We are thrilled to be able to present to our audiences 15 short films made in Britain and supported by one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly broadcasters and champion of the Iris Prize.”

Continuing, he says, “Iris may have left Cardiff for this year, but will be back touring the country in the new year. Watch this space.”

Iris Prize will return next year between Tuesday 10 October – Sunday 15 October 2023. Full details about Iris Prize and this year’s winners can be found here.