Iris Prize 2026: Cardiff prepares to welcome record number of LGBTQ+ filmmakers
Iris Prize 2026 opens in Cardiff on 12 October, welcoming a record number of filmmakers for a week celebrating LGBTQ+ cinema.
Cardiff is preparing to welcome an international gathering of LGBTQ+ filmmakers as the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival returns on Monday, 12 October, for its 20th edition, with a record number of filmmakers expected to attend.
Running until Sunday, 18 October, the festival will bring together short films, feature films, emerging talent and established names for a week celebrating LGBTQ+ storytelling. Its anniversary edition places particular emphasis on the people behind the films, giving audiences opportunities to discover new work and connect with the filmmakers who created it.
Iris Prize marks 20 years of LGBTQ+ storytelling
The 2026 festival opens at Cineworld Cardiff, with the opening-night programme showcasing five films featuring Welsh stories and talent. The selection includes Love Is Not An Emotion, directed by Will Collins, Cranogwen a Fi, directed by Mari Izzard, Wear I Am, directed by Vicky Morton, Try, directed by Lewis Bayley, and Behind The Scenes of the Pink Portraits 2026, directed by Kole Parrott.
The opening programme reflects the festival's commitment to putting different voices and experiences on screen while giving audiences opportunities to discover filmmakers whose work might otherwise receive less attention. With all five films' filmmakers expected to attend, the first evening will also give visitors a chance to engage directly with the people bringing these stories to life.
Established names join emerging filmmakers
The anniversary edition will welcome a broad range of filmmakers and guests throughout the week, including director Andrew Haigh, actor Tom Cullen, actor Joe Locke and director Donna Deitch. Their attendance places emerging LGBTQ+ talent alongside artists whose work has already helped shape queer cinema and its place within the wider film industry.
The festival's programme also includes British, student, community, educational and micro-short films, giving the event a reach beyond established feature-film production. That breadth is significant for a festival celebrating its 20th year, because LGBTQ+ representation depends not only on the films reaching cinema screens but also on opportunities for new filmmakers to develop their work and find an audience.
How to watch Iris Prize 2026
The festival runs from 12 to 18 October in Cardiff, with screenings and events centred on Cineworld Cardiff and other festival venues. Audiences unable to attend in person can also access Iris Online, which is scheduled to run from 13 to 31 October and will extend the festival's reach to viewers across the UK.
The Iris Prize offers a timely opportunity to explore LGBTQ+ cinema from different countries, generations and creative backgrounds. As the festival celebrates two decades, its combination of established talent, emerging filmmakers and opportunities to discover new work gives the anniversary edition a wider significance than a conventional film programme.
