Iris Programme by Buzz Magazine

IRIS PRIZE FESTIVAL

PROGRAMME 2014

THE IRIS PRIZE A guide to this year’s festival of LGBT film

JAYSON BEND

THE FILM THAT ASKS WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF JAMES BOND WAS GAY

INTERVIEWS WITH EMMERDALE STAR ALICYA EYO + MALDOD WRITER ROGER WILLIAMS

CROESO I GAERDYDD / WELCOME TO CARDIFF BUZZ 1

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IRIS 2014

buzz... publisher EMMA CLARK editor HEATHER ARNOLD listings/music editor NOEL GARDNER advertising EMMA JARRETT film technician (buzz tv) JAYDON MARTIN administration TERESA CLARK designer www.scissorspaperstonedesign.co.uk contributors CHARLOTTE CARTER, PHILIP WYN JONES, DAVID LLEWELLYN, SARAH MCCREADIE, CHARLIE MOCK, HELENA STOCKS phone number 029 2022 6767 general enquiries info@buzzmag.co.uk editorial editorial@buzzmag.co.uk listings listings@buzzmag.co.uk advertising advertising@buzzmag.co.uk accounts accounts@buzzmag.co.uk BUZZ MAGAZINE 220C Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1GY published EAC PUBLISHING contents BOYS cover JAYSON BEND

08+09MATT CARTER INTERVIEW

22-46IRIS SHORTS

“we were discussing what it would be like if James Bond was gay”

A round up of all the short film nominees, including the Youth Shorts and Best Of British contenders

12+13MEET THE JURY

25TOP PICKS FOR THE PRIZE

Meet the jury who have taken on the seemingly impossible task of picking out a winner for this year’s Iris awards

Reviewer, editor and Iris judge Philip Wyn-Jones gives his top picks for this year’s Iris Prize

14 EFA GRUG BLOSSE-MASON INTERVIEW What’s it like to be a young film-maker just starting out on their career? We talk to former Youth Jury member Efa Grug Blosse-Mason about her short movie The Passerby

16+17THE PRODUCERS FORUM Thinking about creating a film? Or just curious about the world of movie making? The producers forum is designed to get people talking about breaking into the world of film. We also talk to Roger Williams about his new project Maldod

28+29, 36+37, 48+49 IRIS FEATURE FILMS We talk about all the fantastic LGBT feature films that Iris is screening this year. There are tales of cross-dressing samurai, overbearing mothers and love triangles

32+33IRIS MATRIX A calendar of all of this year’s Iris Festival events

50+51IRIS AWARDS It’s time to get excited about the glitz, glamour and award-wining films as the festival draws to a close, and the 2014 Iris Prize winner is announced

18THE TRANS-ISTION IN FILM

56-62INFORMATION

We have a look at all the films in this year’s festival line-up that explore transgendered issues

All the vital information you need to survive this year’s Iris festival

20+21THE WOMEN OF IRIS To see Buzz TV behind the scenes at Iris go to www.youtube.com/buzzmagtv

There are plenty of women working hard behind the scenes, and in front of the camera, in many of the films in this year’s Iris Festival

www.irisprize.org • www.twitter.com/irisprize • www.facebook.com/irisprizefestival BUZZ 3

SPONSORS / NODDWYR PRINCIPAL FUNDER / PRIF ARIANWR

PRODUCED BY / CYNHYRCHWYD GAN

The Iris Prize is supported by The Michael Bishop Foundation FUNDERS AND SPONSORS / ARIANWYR A NODDWYR

PARTNERS / PARTNERIAID

Martin Briggs

EDUCATION PROGRAMME / RHAGLEN ADDYSGOL

MEDIA PARTNERS / PARTNERIAID CYFRYNGOL

PRODUCERS FORUM Creative Europe Desk UK (Wales) Web: www.irisprize.org | Twitter: @irisprize | Facebook: irisprizefestival BUZZ 4

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WELCOME

CROESO

I always think of Iris as family. Granted a rather bigger family today than we knew back in 2007 when the world’s finest LGBT filmmakers gathered in Cardiff for the first time.

Dw i wastad yn meddwl am Iris fel teulu – a theulu sydd dipyn yn fwy heddiw nag yr oedd yn 2007, pan ddaeth gwneuthurwyr ffilm LGBT gorau’r byd at ei gilydd yng Nghaerdydd am y tro cyntaf.

We had seven feature films as part of our inaugural programme, this year we have 16. In 2007 we had five programmes of short films, this year we have 10. There is no denying that our family is getting bigger. Guiding Iris on her journey needs constant attention and is a responsibility I cherish and enjoy. As Iris extends her reach to include unexpected but welcome new partnerships (more about this during the festival!) I, with your support, will make sure we never lose that friendly family feel that makes Cardiff in October such a special place.

Roedd gennym 7 o ffilmiau nodwedd yn rhaglen yr wyl agoriadol; eleni mae gennym 16. Yn 2007, roedd gennym bum rhaglen o ffilmiau byr; eleni mae gennym 10. Mae’r teulu bach yn tyfu, yn ddi-os. Mae tywys Iris ar ei thaith yn gofyn am sylw cyson ac mae’n gyfrifoldeb dw i’n ei fwynhau’n fawr ac yn falch iawn o’i gael. Wrth i Iris estyn allan a chreu partneriaethau newydd annisgwyl ond cyffrous (mwy am hyn yn ystod yr wyl ei hun!), fe fyddaf i, gyda’ch cymorth chi, yn sicrhau na fyddwn yn colli golwg ar y teimlad teuluol cyfeillgar sy’n gwneud Caerdydd ym mis Hydref yn lle mor arbennig.

If you have been to Iris before you will notice some changes. I’ve already eluded to growth and in reality what this means is you will need to make choices about what you would like to see. In previous years you’ve been able to see everything, this will not be possible in 2014! I’ve had a good look at the programme and have made my viewing decisions. It was a little like opening a large box of chocolates, slightly overwhelming, but worth the effort. If this is your first visit to Iris, please enjoy our programme of the best LGBT films which this year includes the new Iris Prize Best British Short programme sponsored by Pinewood Studios, our first country focus looking at LGBT Cinema from Israel and the welcome return of Iris Alumni Till Kleinert with his new feature film The Samurai and Daniel Ribiero with The Way He Looks.

Os ydych chi eisoes wedi ymweld â Gwyl Iris, fe sylwch chi ar ambell newid. Dw i eisoes wedi cyfeirio at dwf yr wyl; yn ymarferol, mae hyn yn golygu y bydd angen i chi ddewis yr hyn yr hoffech ei weld. Mewn blynyddoedd blaenorol, rydych chi wedi gallu gweld popeth – ni fydd hyn yn bosib yn 2014! Dw i wedi cael golwg iawn ar y rhaglen ac wedi penderfyniadau eisoes pa ffilmiau y bydda i’n eu gwylio a pha ddigwyddiadau y byddaf yn eu mynychu. Roedd hi’n brofiad nid annhebyg i agor bocs o siocledi – dewis anodd ond gwerth chweil! Os byddwch yn ymweld ag Iris am y tro cyntaf, dewch, da chi, i fwynhau ein rhaglen o’r ffilmiau LGBT gorau, sydd yn cynnwys eleni raglen Gwobr Iris am y Ffilm Fer Brydeinig Orau, wedi’i noddi gan Pinewood Studios. Bydd y rhan newydd o’r rhaglen, sy’n canolbwyntio ar Sinema LGBT un wlad benodol, yn rhoi sylw i Israel ac fe fydd un o sêr Iris yn y gorffennol, Till Kleinert, yn dychwelyd â’i ffilm nodwedd newydd, The Samurai. Bydd Daniel Ribiero hefyd yn dychwelyd atom i ddangos The Way He Looks.

Before I leave you to consider your viewing and partying opportunities at Iris this year I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our funders and sponsors who are listed on page 5. Without them Iris would not happen. Once again this year I would like to pay particular thanks to my good friend Lord Glendonbrook, who continues to support the Iris Prize through his generosity via The Michael Bishop Foundation. I’m delighted that he is able to join us this year for the Iris Awards as we present for the 8th time the Iris Prize, the world’s largest LGBT short film prize at £25,000. Enjoy! ANDREW PIERCE Chair, Iris Prize

Cyn i mi eich gadael chi i ystyried eich rhaglen chi o ffilmiau a phartïon ar gyfer gwyl Iris eleni, hoffwn fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i ddiolch i’r holl arianwyr a noddwyr sy’n cyfrannu mor hael at ein gwaith. Mae rhestr o’u henwau i’w gweld ar dudalen 5. Hebddynt, fyddai Iris ddim yn bosib. Ac unwaith eto eleni, hoffwn ddiolch yn arbennig i fy nghyfaill annwyl, yr Arglwydd Glendonbrook, sy’n parhau i gefnogi Gwobr Iris yn hael drwy gyfrwng ei sefydliad ef, Sefydliad Michael Bishop. Dw i wrth fy modd y bydd e’n gallu ymuno â ni eleni yng Ngwobrau Iris, wrth i ni gyflwyno’r wobr fwyaf yn y byd am ffilm fer LGBT (gwerth £25,000), a hynny am yr wythfed tro. Mwynhewch! ANDREW PIERCE Cadeirydd, Gwobr Iris

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“Bond may not be quite as straight as we all think...”

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MATT CARTER AND THE SPY WHO MADE HIM Jayson Bend: Queen And Country is the ultimate gay spy spoof, leaving no entendre undoubled and pitting its hero (played by Davis Brooks) against the megalomaniac owner of a chain of hair salons. David Llewellyn caught up with its director, Matt Carter, to find out more about the film.

How did Jayson Bend come about? I was at the pub with friends and we were discussing what it would be like if James Bond was gay. We agreed it would be cool to make a short, 5-10 minute film as a bit of fun but after watching lots of Bond films to analyse the style and the story tropes they all share, we realised a 10 minute film wouldn’t do it justice, and so it gradually evolved into the film it is now.

Who is your favourite Bond, and which is your favourite Bond film? Despite our film being more like the Roger Moore era, in terms of its silliness and humour, I’d say Daniel Craig is my favourite Bond, with Casino Royale being my favourite film. I always regretted not squeezing a casino scene into our film! I also have a soft spot for Goldeneye, as it was the first Bond film I saw as a kid, and has the best title sequence!

Your background is in visual effects, and you worked on films such as Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows and Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage Of The Dawn Treader. How does that differ from directing, and which do you prefer? Working in visual effects and computer animation is much more time consuming as you’ll often work on a single shot for several days at a time, and you also spend a large proportion of time imitating reality. So it’s very refreshing to capture reality itself with a camera instead. Being on a set has a certain energy, a fast paced creative atmosphere and urgency that you don’t get working in visual effects. Plus it’s great to work on your feet rather than behind a computer monitor.

Now you’re making me feel old. Mine was Octopussy! Jayson Bend is described as the “world’s first gay secret agent”, but the film is a comedy. Do you think cinema audiences would accept a gay hero in a straightforward action movie? This is something I feel quite passionately about. As a gay man, I find lot of gay cinema revolves around themes of homosexuality, gay struggle, or ‘coming out’, and while that’s all highly compelling and important subject matter, I wanted to make a an action film in which no other character ever questions the hero’s sexuality or sees it as anything out of the ordinary. I think that the more routine the depiction of homosexuality in films becomes, the more accepting and receptive movie goers will be. I don’t know if the world is ready for gay lead characters in summer blockbusters just yet. Or rather, I don’t think movie studios are willing to take the financial risks to make it happen. But I’d like to think we’re close to being in a place, as a society, where no-one would bat an eyelid at the idea of a gay James Bond. Then again, there is that scene in Skyfall (when Bond meets Javier Bardem’s villain) that suggests Bond may not be quite as straight as we all think...

This was your directorial debut. What was the biggest challenge you faced while making the film? One of the biggest challenges was working on such a small budget, given the scale of the project. As is often the case with independent productions everyone involved had to wear many hats and juggle multiple roles. I had to balance being the Director as well as the Cinematographer, which was challenging at first – though now I wouldn’t want to work any other way.

Jayson Bend: Queen And Country, Cineworld, 7.45pm, Wed 8 Oct + 10pm, Sat 11 Oct. Tickets: £7.90 / £6.60 conc / free for Iris VIP Pass holders.

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JAYSON BEND: QUEEN AND COUNTRY As Iris joins forces with the renowned Pinewood Studios this year, it seems very fitting that the festival will be opening with a film that puts a twist on the world’s most iconic spy series.

hen watching any of the many filmdefining James Bond films did you ever get tired of 007’s womanising or the pun-filled names of the ubiquitous Bond Girls (Pussy Galore I’m looking at you)? What if you could have a James Bond with all the charm, gadgets and intrigue but without the lady chasing? That’s the concept behind Jayson Bend: Queen And Country. Don’t fear though; all the sex appeal, innuendo and flirting will still be on the agenda as secret service agent Jayson Bend tries to save the day. The incredibly handsome Bend, the world’s first gay secret agent, joins forces with Swiss agent Alec DeCoque (I told you that there would still be plenty of innuendo) to thwart the evil scheming of hair product tycoon Raymond Perdood. Where Auric Goldfinger had a bomb plot to increase his wealth and Dr. Julius No conspired to sabotage American missiles, Perdood is launching a satellite that will turn him into the most powerful man in the world. Will Bend, with the help of DeCoque, be able to stop the satellite and save the world? You’ll have to come along to the screening to find out. The cast and crew of Jayson Bend: Queen And Country will also be in attendance as the film opens this year’s Iris Film Festival, so expect all the glitz and glamour of the spy world. After Bend’s adventure there will be the chance to see last year’s Iris Prize winning film Gorilla, by Australian director Tim Marshal, which will itself be followed by a discussion about the film between Marshal and Festival Chair Andrew Pierce. They will be talking about the curious camping story of Gorilla and Followers – the film Marshal is currently making with Iris. Jayson Bend: Queen And Country + Gorilla screening and discussion, Cineworld, 7.45pm, Wed 8 Oct. Tickets: £7.90 / £6.60 conc / free for Iris VIP Pass holders.

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MEET THE JURY

DYMA’R RHEITHGOR

Viewing all the fabulous films that Iris has shortlisted and picking out the best of them is no easy task. Here are the people that have taken on the judging duties this year.

Nid tasg hawdd fydd gwylio’r holl ffilmiau anhygoel sydd wedi cyrraedd rhest fer Iris a dewis y goreuon. Dyma aelodau rheithgorau Iris sydd wedi derbyn y sialens eleni.

THIS will be Sara Sugarman’s first visit to the Iris Prize Festival. And although she has been a patron of the Iris Prize since 2006 – a year before the inaugural festival – she arrives in Cardiff to Chair the jury for the International Iris Prize at a time of great change for the Cardiff based festival. To start with the 2014 film festival will have not, one but five juries all tasked with recognising excellence. New for 2014 will be the Iris Prize Best British Jury, chaired by Judith Noble and sponsored by Pinewood Studios, the Best Feature Film Jury chaired by Iris Alumnai Eldar Rapaport and sponsored by Martin Briggs, the Best Actor and Actress Jury in a feature sponsored by Gay Star News and the return of the Iris Prize Youth Jury sponsored by Cardiff University. All in all there will be 35 individuals looking at hours and hours of film, with the simple task of recognising excellence.

HWN fydd ymweliad cyntaf Sara Sugarman â Gwyl Gwobr Iris. Bu Sara’n un o lywyddion Gwobr Iris ers 2006 – blwyddyn cyn i’r wyl gyntaf gael ei chynnal – ac fe fydd hi’n dod i Gaerdydd eleni i gadeirio rheithgor Gwobr Ryngwladol Iris ar adeg o newid mawr i’r wyl yng Nghaerdydd. Yn y lle cyntaf, bydd gwyl ffilm 2014 yn cynnwys nid un ond pum rheithgor, pob un yn gyfrifol am gydnabod rhagoriaeth y ffilmiau yn y gwahanol gystadlaethau. Yn 2014, am y tro cyntaf, bydd yna Reithgor i ddethol enillydd Gwobr y Ffilm Fer Brydeinig Orau, wedi’i gadeirio gan Judith Noble ac wedi’i noddi gan Pinewood Studios. Bydd yna Reithgor i enwi enillydd Gwobr Ffilm Nodwedd Orau Iris, wedi’i gadeirio gan Eldar Rapaport, un o sêr digamsyniol Iris, ac wedi’i noddi gan Martin Briggs, ac fe fydd yna Reithgorau hefyd i bennu’r Actor Gorau a’r Actores Orau – noddir y categorïau hyn gan Gay Star News. Bydd Rheithgor Gwobr Ieuenctid Iris, wedi’i noddi gan Brifysgol Caerdydd, hefyd yn dychwelyd eleni. At ei gilydd, bydd 35 o unigolion yn gwylio oriau ac oriau o ffilm ac fe fydd ganddynt un dasg sylfaenol: adnabod a chydnabod rhagoriaeth.

FACT FILE:

FFEIL FFEITHIAU:

Name: SARA SUGARMAN Born: 13 October 1965, Rhyl, North Wales

Enw: SARA SUGARMAN Ganwyd: 13 Hydref, 1965, Y Rhyl, Gogledd Cymru

Sara began her career acting in Grange Hill and, after performing throughout the 80s, began directing. Her first short film Valley Girls won the prestigious DM Davies Award at the Aberystwyth based Welsh International Film Festival. Her first feature Very Annie Mary, starring Rachel Griffiths and Jonathan Price, won the best director award at the Sundance Film Festival. She continues to write and direct films, including Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen starring Lindsay Lohan to House Of Versace. She recently directed Matthew Rhys in Under Milkwood in Los Angeles.

Dechreuodd Sara ei gyrfa actio yn Grange Hill ac, ar ôl actio drwy gydol yr 80au, dechreuodd gyfarwyddo. Enillodd ei ffilm fer gyntaf, Valley Girls, wobr nodedig DM Davies yng Ngwyl Ffilm Ryngwladol Cymru yn Aberystwyth. Enillodd ei ffilm nodwedd gyntaf, Very Annie Mary, gyda Rachel Griffiths a Jonathan Price yn y prif rannau, wobr y Cyfarwyddwr Gorau iddi yng Ngwyl Ffilm Sundance. Ers hynny, mae hi wedi parhau i ysgrifennu a chyfarwyddo ffilmiau; mae’r rheiny’n cynnwys Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen, gyda Lindsay Lohan, a House Of Versace. Yn ddiweddar, cyfarwyddodd gynhyrchiad o Under Milk Wood yn Los Angeles, gyda Matthew Rhys yn y brif ran.

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JURY MEMBERS Iris Prize International Jury

Iris Prize Best Feature Film Jury

SARA SUGARMAN (Jury Chair)

ELDAR RAPAPORT

Writer/Director (Iris Winner 2009)

EMMA CLARK

Publisher/Owner of Buzz Magazine

SUE GORBING

Co-Founder of SpringOut

MARTIN BRIGGS

Retired Gay activist

PHILLIP WYN JONES

Freelance editor and reviewer

Actress/Director

ANDREW M SMITH Director of Strategy and Communications Pinewood Studios Group HEN YANNI

Model and award-winning actress

JAY BEDWANI

Award-winning filmmaker

JOANNA BENECKE Writer/Actress and Film Editor of Diva Magazine MATT CARTER 3D Visual effects artist and composer/ Director and Producer of Jayson Bend: Queen And Country PAUL SWEENEY Senior film buyer for Cineworld Cinemas TIM MARSHALL Award-winning Australian Writer and Director (Iris Winner 2012) VERONICA KEDAR

Iris Prize Best Feature Actor/Actress LYNNE REYNOLDS

Journalist and Freelance Writer

SCOTT NUNN

Co-founder of Gay Star News

MATTHEW FOLLOWS Chair of National Student Pride weekend festival TRIS REID

Co-Founder of Gay Star News

Award-winning Israeli Filmmaker

YAIR HOCHNER Yair Hochner is a filmmaker, producer and the founder and director of TLVFest – Tel Aviv’s International LGBT Film Festival

Iris Prize Youth Jury Members of the Iris Prize Youth Jury sponsored by Cardiff University will be announced on Friday 26 September.

Iris Prize Best British Jury JUDITH NOBLE Senior lecturer in Film Production (Jury Chair)

at the Arts University Bournemouth

ANDREW LEITCH Lead development officer on LGBT equalities within Creative Scotland LOWRI HAF COOKE Film critic / contributes to programmes on BBC Radio Cymru and S4C ROBERT GERSHINSON Film producer/ Co-founder of Queer As Film VICTORIA ASHFIELD

Cross discipline composer

LEWIS TICE Iris Prize friend and former Jury Member who passed away on 1st April 2014 aged 44 years old.

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THE IRIS FAMILY

Efa Grug Blosse-Mason 17-year-old Efa Grug Blosse-Mason has been a part of the Iris family before as a young judge. Now she speaks to Charlie Mock about making a film herself.

rowing up in Cardiff, the Iris Prize has always been in the background for Efa. “You see the posters up everywhere, but I only started to get involved with it last year when I was a young judge for one of the prizes,” she says. After a successful application to be part of the Youth Jury in 2013, Efa was given the opportunity to judge parts of the Iris Prize along with nine other people her age. The panel got to see the age-appropriate nominated films and choose the Youth Award winner. “On the judging panel we were choosing the films that would be shown around the schools on Iris Education [a programme that uses Iris' resources to tackle bullying and homophobia in schools],” Efa explains. “It’s really important for there to be films and things going on for gay people that age; I think it’s harder when you’re young. There aren’t enough films that are just about being gay, there’s lots of gay cinema about coming out, but I don’t think there’s enough about just living.” It was this notion that prompted Efa to give filmmaking a go herself. Spurred on by the lack of films featuring young lesbians, Efa created The Passerby,

a ten-minute short that narrowly missed out on the shortlist for this year’s prize but will still be screened as part of the festival. “It’s about a young girl called Helen who is volunteering as a rubbish collector on a beach with her friend. From her perspective, her life is very boring and grey; she’s sees everything as broken as ugly. Then one day this mysterious, nameless creature arrives on the beach who is totally different to anything Helen has seen before. She has a totally different perspective on life and allows Helen to see the beauty in the world around her and in herself.” Speaking of the filming process, Efa remembers exactly why she chose her location. “A beach made sense because it was very atmospheric and the girl that arrives, the passerby, is kind of washed in and then washed away quite naturally and without any trace.” Not only did Efa come up with the concept and direct the film herself, she also stars as Helen, the film’s protagonist who meets the mysterious stranger on the beach. Despite this being Efa’s first venture publically showcasing her work as a director, she’s already looking to the future. “I want to be a film maker.

IRIS EDUCATION DAY A day dedicated to young people between the ages of 14 and 18 covering all things film including, marketing, directing, performing and a chance to see some films and meet the filmmakers. The education day is presented in partnership with Equiversal and the Iris Prize team. Iris Education Day, 9am-4pm, Wed 8 Oct. Info: www.irisprize.org/education

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I’m aiming to make a feature film but at the moment I’m just doing short films.” She’s even started making plans for her entry for next year’s Iris Prize Festival and is already in the middle of writing a script, details of which are strictly under wraps. Having only just completed her A-levels and starting an art foundation course in September, Efa is fresh off blocks and one to look out for in the future. Does she have any advice to young people like her wanting to begin making films? “Be honest, make something that is personal and true to yourself and it will be a lot more powerful than anything you try and copy from someone else.”

Efa Grug Blosse-Mason’s short film The Passerby will be screened at Cineworld before feature film Boys, Cardiff on Thurs 9 Oct, 6pm. Tickets: £7.90/£6.60 conc. Info: www.irisprize.org

PRODUCERS FORUM Iris is a festival not just about watching films, but about making them. The Producers Forum is a chance to network and get advice about everything from funding to special effects.

FACT FILE JODY TOZER Age: 33 “This is my second year co-ordinating the Producers Forum for Iris Prize Festival. It’s a real jam-packed day full of guest speakers providing information and guidance for any wannabe filmmakers out there. Doing this role is a real crossover with the other film event work that I do for Ffresh and Cardiff Mini Film Festival, so I’m really looking forward to providing a day of real value to people trying to make it in the industry. ” BUZZ 16

“WHAT do you do when hundreds of producers, film directors and writers of LGBT cinema gather annually in Cardiff for the Iris Prize?” sounds like a basic question for organisers of the “world-famous Iris Prize film festival” – as described by Diva Magazine (Sep 2014). Screening films and presenting awards has been the core function of the five day festival. But two years ago the organisers decided to give the assembled media professionals a formal opportunity to exchange ideas and share problems within the festival, and dedicated a specific day to do it. “We also wanted to make sure our industry day was open to everybody involved in film and television. Development, production, distribution and funding are issues relevant to everybody and not just LGBT filmmakers,” said Berwyn Rowlands, Festival Director. “This is why the Producers Forum, now in its third year, is so special – a mainstream event organised by a gay film festival. It is normally the other way around with the mainstream having to consider issues of diversity,” he added. The Producers Forum is sponsored by: Creative Skillset Cymru, Creative Europe Desk UK Wales, Gorilla and the BFI NET.WORK Wales.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE 2014 PRODUCERS FORUM: Crowdfunding – the live launch of Maldod Maldod is the first gay feature film in the Welsh language. During this session we discover why the producers are using crowdfunding to help make the film and their campaign will go live during the session! The project brings together the award-winning writer, Roger Williams, and the award-winning director Lee Haven Jones - both have a proven track record of producing high quality drama for television. {Maldod} is a rites of passage story about a gay man’s journey from death to life, set on the beautiful coast of west Wales. Planning for VFX in Low Budget Movies (sponsored by Gorilla) If you have a huge budget, you might have the luxury to ‘fix it in post’. When you’re working with limited resources, planning and preparing for visual effects shots is becoming an increasingly important part of pre-production. Bait Studio’s VFX Supervisors Christian Lett and Llyr Williams give an insight into how thinking ahead will help you make the most of your vfx budget.

Producers Forum, Park Inn Hotel, Fri 10 Oct, 9am-4pm. Tickets: £25 including lunch / free with VIP pass

ROGER WILLIAMS Writer Roger Williams has created scripts for everything from stage productions to BAFTA nominated TV shows and Welsh language soap opera. Now he’s turning his talent to the world of film and will be sharing what he’s learnt at this year’s Producers Forum. Have you been to the Producers Fourm before? Yeah, I went last year. I was somebody who brought a ticket and went to hear the very different subjects that they were talking about. It’s a really good day, you get delivered a lot of very interesting information and various practical information about how to make your film, how to pay for your film, how to get it distributed, how to market your film. Although Iris is obviously a queer film festival, what I’ve found was there are a lot of film makers there who weren’t making queer film, they were simply there to benefit from the quality of the information that was being given from the stage and be inspired by some of the speakers who had come to talk about the experiences that they’ve had making films. I would encourage anybody out there trying to make a film, or making a film to look at the programme and go and spend the day at the Producers Forum.

Why did you decide to write this film in Welsh rather than English? There are lots of reasons. I write in English and I write in Welsh, but something that I’ve been very interested in for a few years is the lack of Welsh language movies. I remember going to see, when I was a little boy, a film made by a director called Steven Bailey called Coming Up Roses. It was a film that S4C must have made back in 1986 and it won big prizes. I remember seeing a news report on TV that it was being screened at a film festival in New York and it was travelling internationally. I wondered for years, as I worked quietly away in television, why we stopped making film? Generally we haven’t been telling our stories on the cinema screen and I think that’s a big shame. We just thought we’ll set out to make a cinema film that will play at festivals around the world and that you’ll be able to buy on DVD in America. Let’s have that ambition for this story.

Could you tell me more about you film Maldod? Maldod is a gay feature film being made in the Welsh language. It is a film that I have written and will be directed by Lee-Haven Jones. It’s set on the coast of Ceredigion, in West Wales, and it’s the story of what happens when a little eight-year-old girl called Mali discovers an angel in a field full of cows one morning. It’s also about how the man who is dressed as an angel changes their lives forever, and about how they change his world view. So it’s a relationship drama really, but it’s very much asking questions about how we fit in and about how very different people can relate to each other and how family can sometimes be very unorthodox things made up of very different people. That’s very broadly what it’s about but we are excited about the idea that it’s a gay film and a gay Welsh film.

Was it daunting writing a film? I didn’t know what I was doing! It’s safe to say the first draft of the script you could quite easily have made for television and put it out as two parts. I was part of a Ffilm Cymru Wales’s initiative called Cinematic last year, to try and encourage people to develop films and Maldod was born out of that process. I had to train my brain to think cinematically. I thought I knew what the word cinematic meant when I went in to the scheme. I ended up learning and imagining my story in a different way. I started that process about a year ago and we are now at a stage where we’ve got a script that people really like. We are kind in the situation now where we are beginning to attract the money so that we can make the film in August 2015. That’s what I will be talking about as part of the Producers’ Forum; the way in

which we are hoping to fund this film. We’ve got offers of some funding open to us at the moment, but as part of the pot we are looking at raising a small percentage of the money from a crowd campaign and we will be making that scheme go live during the session that I take part in at the forum. So people can invest in it, whether they want to just invest £10 or they want to invest £500 that will be a really successful way for them to be able to support the film. By doing that as well I hope we will start to build the audience that will go and watch the film when it’s made and talk about the film as well. So that’s kind of the focus for the producers’ forum for me, starting the conversations amongst people about Maldod. If you want to be a part of this exciting project you can be. Why do you feel Iris is important? With Iris know that there’s a week in the year, if you like gay film, you can go to the festival and devour those sorts of films that you really enjoy. You’ll probably see a lot of film that you have never heard of before as well, so you’ve discovered some new films and film-makers. So I think for audiences it’s fantastic. I think for people who are making film it’s great because you get to meet other film-makers from around the world and you get inspired. I think for those two reasons alone Iris is a great initiative and long may it continue! After it has been launched at the Producers Forucm you can donate to the Maldod crowd funding campaign here: www.indiegogo.com/projects/maldod

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THE TRANS-ITION OF FILM Even in the world of LGBT film movies that deal with trans issues are often neglected. This year’s Iris line-up, however, has a variety of Trans films to enjoy.

he Iris Prize has always had LGBT in its extended title and each year they have strived to represent the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. This has sometimes been a challenge, with lack of content cited as the main reason. “I would be the first person to admit that the trans community has sometimes been underrepresented

at the festival,” said Festival Director Berwyn Rowlands. “We’ve increased the number of feature films we are screening this year from nine to 16! This has given me the opportunity to not only include more films but to also include a more diverse programme. This year I was also spoilt with a significant number of good trans films to choose from,” he added. “Iris has a reputation for celebrating excellence in storytelling and although issues of representation continue to be important it would feel so wrong to include a film in the programme just because it was trans, it has to be a good trans film.” There was little reason for the organisers to fear, with festival programmers from across the world all agreeing that the number and quality of trans movies was increasing. This year’s festival has two features including Melting Away – the first film from Israel to deal with transgender issues. Actress Hen Yanni will

be at the screening to introduce the film and conduct a Q+A post screening. The second movie – Boy Meets Girl – is a funny, tender, sex-positive romantic comedy from the US. Casting the transgender actor Michelle Hendley in the title role of Alex brings authenticity and sensitivity to this beautifully sexy film, which crosses all lines of gender and sexual orientation. The festival also includes five Trans short films competing for the Iris Prize and the Best British Award. They include Brace, Butterfly and Wannabe from the UK and Black Is Blue from the US and Lives Under The Red Light – the festival’s first competing film from Cambodia. To bring the trans focus to a close the festival will also host the annual drinks reception supported by Stonewall Cymru, which this year will celebrate the increased number of trans films at the 2014 Iris Prize Film Festival.

Lives Under The Red Light

Melting Away BUZZ 18

Brace

Black Is Blue

THE WOMEN OF IRIS You would think that an LGBT film festival would already have all its diversity boxes ticked from the get go and that it need not worry about inclusion. But, very much in the Iris family spirit, the festival is making sure everyone gets their fair share of the screen and this year’s line-up has a whole host of films created by women and with three-dimensional female characters at the forefront.

Tru Love

ALICYA EYO Actress Alicya Eyo is used to spending her days in front of the camera, having starred in the iconic soap opera Emmerdale and award-winning prison drama Bad Girls, but now she sits back in the director’s chair with her Best Of British nominated film Brace. BUZZ 20

How did you get involved with Brace? Jake Graf wrote the script a few years ago and I was intrigued, really interested by it. I thought ‘what a great story!’ so it was born from that. We worked together on it for quite some time last year, and thought ‘we’ve got to do this, we’ve got to make it.’ All of a sudden we had some amazing people on board! We have Sophy Holland, who was incredible with the direction, she made it look amazing. It was just

brilliant and it all came together really, really well in quite a short space of time Did it feel daunting directing for the first time? Oh my gosh, yeah, it’s terrifying! I’m so used to being on the other side of the camera, but I think it put me in good stead to get what we needed from the actors. I’m not very technical, though, so it was great to have Sophy there and I learnt a lot from her. It was really scary the first

day on set, when people are expecting things from you as the director and you’ve got to step up. It was a challenge but it was really interesting. Have you always planned to move into directing? I’ve toyed with the idea before but the opportunity never came around and, of course, when Jake asked me if I’d like to direct I jumped at the chance. It did defiantly help that it was such a strong script and that we had worked on it together, so it

Nia Vardalos

Hen Yanni

licking through this programme it is easy to see that this year’s Iris film festival boasts a bigger than usual programme of feature films. In an industry which is recognised for being male dominated, the minds behind Iris are keen to highlight the strong contribution made by women. So this year’s festival will be celebrating women’s talent behind and in front of the camera. Nia Vardalos, who steals the show as a dominating mother who encourages her son to be gay in the European premiere of Helicopter Mom, is just one of many strong female performers at this year’s Iris Prize Festival. There are three outstanding performances in Canadian feature Tru Love which continues to receive rave reviews on the festival circuit. The evocative love story about the intersecting lives of three women is one of those rare standouts. Shauna MacDonald, Kate Trotter and Christine Horne should all be in the running for the Iris Prize Best Actress Award. Former International model Hen Yanni, who has worked on major campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana and Kenneth Cole, will be one of the guests at this year’s Iris Prize Festival. She will be introducing the screening of Melting Away, where she portrayed an eighteen-year-old boy who transforms himself into a woman and takes a painful journey to return back to her parents. Hen’s work in Melting Away earned her a Breakthrough Performance Award at the LGBT Tel Aviv International Film Festival, as well as a Best Actress Israeli Academy Award nomination.

seemed kind of natural for me to head into directing. Especially because I had a vision for it, we both had the same vision. How would you describe Brace? I would say it’s a tough subject, isn’t it? It tackles homophobia, transphobia and it’s a love story all at the same time. It challenges the way people think about other people...with a great soundtrack!

She will be joined by fellow Israeli film maker Veronica Kedar with her first feature film JOE + BELLE (which she wrote, directed and produced) as part of the Iris Prize Festival’s country focus looking at LGBT cinema and Israel. Kedar was nominated for Best Picture in the Israeli Academy Awards in 2012 and received an Excellence Award from the Israeli Ministry of Culture for her contribution to Israeli independent film. The finale of the festival is the much coveted Iris Prize, the world’s largest LGBT short film prize supported by The Michael Bishop foundation at £25,000. Anna Rodgers is only the second woman to make the Iris Prize final for the second time, with her short film Novena which has already won a GALAS at the Ireland LGBT Awards. Writer, producer and director Cheryl Dunye is shortlisted for the first time with Black Is Blue the story of Black – an African American Trans man. Alicya Eyo who is better known for playing Ruby in Emmerdale is shortlisted for directing Brace with Sophy Holland. The film is one of 10 competing for the inaugural Iris Prize Best British Short sponsored by Pinewood Studios. The 2014 International Jury is chaired by festival patron and Welsh filmmaker Sara Sugarman who’s previous films include Disney’s Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen, Very Annie Mary and Vinyl. Sara is also joined by writer and director Joanna Benecke who is the film editor of Diva Magazine.

Veronica Kedar

Cheryl Dunye

Anna Rodgers

Melissa Finell (Disaster Preparedness)

Have been to Iris before? No, never, but how amazing! I think I’m still a bit in awe of it. It’s going to be incredible; it’s incredible just to be nominated. It’s going to be a lovely experience being there, and we’re going to take some of the cast with us as well so it will be great to be a part of it and see what it’s all about. Brace, Best British Shorts Programme 2, Chapter Arts Centre 2.30pm, Sat 11 Oct. Tickets: £6.50 / £6.00 conc / free with VIP pass. BUZZ 21

SHORTS Programme One

Cineworld, 12pm, Thurs 9 Oct LIVING IN THE OVERLAP Dir: Cindy Hill & Mary Dolton, USA 25 min Being in a relationship for 46 years can be hard for anyone; being in a relationship and still have that undeniable spark can be even harder. Living In The Overlap is a documentary that focuses on the lives of Pearl Berlin and Lennie Gerber, and the hardships and joys they have received as a Jewish lesbian couple living in North Carolina. Directors Cindy Hill and Mary Dolton first learned about Lennie and Pearl’s 46-year love story from a newspaper article. Wanting to share the couple’s tale they asked to use interviews and archival material from the women’s lives and then shot sequences during the lady’s efforts to defeat North Carolina’s anti-gay marriage amendment, to create a moving and realistic view of the lives of these normal yet extraordinary women. The women discuss their childhoods - both grew up in Brooklyn in the 1940’s - how they met and their lives in the present day. As you watch the women fight for gay marriage to be allowed in North Carolina, to the happy day they finally get married, you realise that this film has not been made to shock or amuse, but to allow the audience to see into the lives of two happily committed people, and that although they may be lesbians, they are no different to any normal heterosexual couple, and just want to be accepted as any other couple would be. The film has already been nominated for awards across the world, including nominations at Inside Out, Toronto LGBT Film Festival and frameline38 (San Francisco’s International LGBT Film Festival). A couple who will warm anyone’s heart, this documentary is both compelling and informative, whilst being a breath of fresh air by demonstrating everyday normal life.

EINFACH (SIMPLE)

Dir: Markus Wende, Germany 1 min ‘I just want sex’, is the main staple of this one-minute animation film by Markus Wende. Celebrating people of all sexualities, shapes and sizes, it allows a quick view into how everyone has the animalistic urge to have sex, and yet how we are only attracted to certain people. Including fetishes such as BDSM and animal roleplaying, this cheeky cartoon depicts little background imagery other than the characters and so allows the viewer to picture the people to be anyone, from anywhere and creating a film which can be integral to anyone. As stated by the title the film has a simplistic meaning: that we should celebrate sex in any and all of its forms, and that it is just a simple, natural human trait, and not one that should be ridiculed or streamed into something with a set of rules. With an English version to accompany its original German video this snappy and slightly comedic flim can be enjoyed by all.

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ALL GOD’S CREATURES

Dic: Brendon McDonall, Australia 20 min Families can be hard for everyone, with tantrums and arguments a usual occurrence for most. All God’s Creatures examines the relationship between two brothers after their father has died, and how their fragile relationship will be tested even further when one of the boys commits an act of mindless cruelty on eels. Dealing with how our childhood makes us who we are in adulthood, and how our family acts when they see us as being different, this compelling piece is directed and written by Brendon McDonall from Australia. Most of the scenes are set by a natural lake, bringing the ideal setting of nature, and all its glory, into the boy’s world of grief and struggle. This contrast sets a beautiful, yet sad picture of life and death, and how the boys change this by mixing the two together. The brothers are played by Nicholas Bakopoulous-Cooke and Ed Oxenbould, who are both acting in the film Paper Planes, this year, which features actor Sam Worthington. McDonall has taught theatre at universitys across Australia and adds writer and actor to his resume. He has also directed multiple theatre productions in Australia and was nominated for an ASE (Australian Screen Editors) Award in 2013.

CAMOUFLAGE

Dir: Stephan Kampf & Andreas Kessler, Germany 8 min What do you think when the word ‘Army’ comes up? Masculinity? Death? Strength? Courage? Camouflage is a film that discusses the ramifications when two soldiers discuss being ‘out’ to their comrades, as they apply camouflage to each other’s faces in the forest during an army exercise. It creates a delicate situation which involves one soldier, Max, trying to get his friend, Christian to confess his sexuality. The film examines the view of how we see soldiers and the reality they face. With stories about soldiers being bullied or discharged for their sexuality, the film deals with how others face their friends being gay, and as Max seems to suggest, will they also be bullied for being friends with someone who is? The stifling scene of the claustrophobic woods allows the audience to feel the anxiety that Max feels to pressurize his friend into confessing. Directed by Stephan Kampf and Andreas Kessler, and featuring Daniel Fripan and Theo Trebs (who is known for his dark horror films including Rammbock), they will help the tale come to life and will examine if a secret can ruin a friendship. In German but with English subtitles, this compelling short story will make us view human nature in a different way.

DAS PHALLOMETER

Dir: Tor Iben, Germany 7 min Can a test really determine if you are gay or not? Based on fact, Das Phallometer is the story of a young Persian asylum seeker in the Czech Republic, who must undergo phallometric tests to determine if he should be given asylum because of his sexuality. Gay asylum seekers are hooked up to a machine that monitors blood flow to the penis and are then shown straight porn. Czech Republic had been criticised for this test until recently, with experts regarding it as against human rights and arguing if the test actually produces clear results. The film examines this in a satirical way, and deals with the issues of a corrupted government, xenophobia and homophobia. With an intended B Movie feel to the film, Das Phallometer deals with important issues but in a refreshing yet mocking way. The cast includes Annette Frier, comedian and actress, who has won a Romy Award and has hosted Bundesvision Song Contest (a German version of Eurovision). Directed by the talented Tor Iben, known for his previous works The Passenger and The Visitor, he uses his films to put the audience into an awkward position, using tense situations and uncomfortable scenes.

SHORTS Programme Two

Cineworld, 4.30pm, Thurs 9 Oct ONE MORE NIGHT Dir: Jeff Woodward, Canada 9min

We all have that one person that we can’t get over, can’t get out of our minds. If you could have one last night with them, would you? Your friend might have confiscated your phone to prevent drunken calls to your ex, or you might have had to stop mid-thought to tell yourself to stop seeing your past relationships through rose-tinted glasses. Even with this intervention, however, would you be able to reconnect with someone who you used to share your life with, for just one night? This is the question that comes with One More Night, a Canadian based film focusing on two lovers, Brie and Amy, who decide after meeting at a party they should spend one last night together, even though they had broken up a long time ago. The film begins with the ‘Morning After’ and reveals the intimate details and conversation of what happens between two people in that dreaded morning light. The film delves deep into the personal moments of people’s lives and asks if what they have done was a mistake or not. The intimacy of the plot is backed up by the cinematography, with use of close-up shots and a single bedroom set. Directed by Jeff Woodward, One More Night is the first film he has directed but he is an actor and filmmaker based in Edmonton, Canada. From the get go, Woodward has had a specific vision for the film to be as honest and realistic as possible. Kayla Bigras as Brie and Whitney Richter as Amy play the two lovers, with still deep emotions and a connection to each other, which even over time hasn’t yet ceased to exist. So the question still is, would you spend the night with someone you just can’t get off your mind?

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

Dir: Melissa Finell, USA 15 min A storm is brewing outside, dangerous, unstable. So what do you do? You wait it out. This is what Becca and Rose do, anyway, when a hurricane is racing towards New York City. But their confinement leads to confessions, arguments and turmoil between the couple and, as the storm outside escalates, so does the tension between the two when they must decide what they mean to each other. This dark film demonstrates how unrest can make us confess our darkest secrets to the ones we love, and that our emotions can be just as chaotic, ruthless and dangerous as nature. In the past director Melissa Finell has helped to produce films and TV shows such as Sex And The City 2 and Gossip Girl, until she went back to school to study film directing at the University Of California. Disaster Preparedness itself won the Audience’s Choice Award at Palm Springs International Shortfest 2014 and was a nominated film at Outfest LA and frameline38 LGBT Film Festivals. The film stars Amy Vorpahl, who has been in shows such as rom-com The Mindy Project, and Breeda Wool, who guest starred in the drug-themed Weeds. With explosions outside and inside their home, this piece demonstrates the tension any couple can relate to when secrets get in the way of a relationship. BUZZ 24

GLEISDREIECK

Dir: Maria Jose San Martin, Chile 9 min Three women of age go about their day. Petra wants to see a movie and Zazie takes care of the flowers. Hedda crosses the city from her own apartment to Petra and Zazie’s. Inspired by her time in Berlin (home to U-Bahn station Gleisdreieck, hence the title) Maria Jose San Martin’s film looks at the idea of love, and how people lie in the name of it. There is plenty of tenderness present in the film, and there is a lot left unsaid as the hint of important issues lingers: what is the relationship between these women, what do they mean to each other, and who are they looking out for? This isn’t the first time that San Martin has taken on the intimate life of the relationship between women, as her award-wining short The Shower (La Ducha) looks at similar themes. A couple go about their morning routine in the bathroom, but the couple’s path is about to change as one of them leave for opportunities abroad and the other must stay behind.

NOVENA

Dir: Anna Rodgers, Ireland 15 min Novena is an act of devotion to the Roman Catholic Church that often involves public prayer. This documentary looks at a church in Dundalk, Ireland, and its annual Novena Mass. This year, however, Fr. Michael Cusack (Director of the Mass) has decided to make the theme of his prayer ‘the courage to be yourself’. He was inspired by a mother in the church, whose gay son felt rejected by the Catholic community. It also captures a rare moment when two gay people are invited by Cusack to give a speech about their experiences being excluded and discriminated against because of Catholic doctrine. Directed by award-winning Anna Rodgers, who recently won Best TV Director at the Irish Film & Television Awards for her documentary Somebody To Love – which followed the life and relationships of people with various disabilities. Novena is a powerful film which demonstrates that some religious leaders are realising their religion is losing and bullying people who actually need their support and compassion. Although the film started with no money or crew, it has gone from strength to strength with the help of a powerful story and inspiring team who wanted to make sure it was heard by all.

END OF SEASON SALE

Dir: Eli Glazer, Israel 35 min When you think of a one night stand what tends to conjure up in your mind is young people, heading out for a drunken night of revelry and making out in up against the wall of a club, before stumbling home hand-in-hand. This is, of course, not the story of every one night stand. Not all one night stands are drunken, not all one night stands are youthful mistakes, not all one night stands are seedy. When two ageing strangers meet in the street on a rainy night things follow a different path. Though they both like men this is where their sexual similarities end: one man enjoys words without the flesh, the other likes the flesh without words. The night develops, however, when the men discover they are out of Viagra and the set out into the night in an attempt to hunt down the little blue pill. With this physicality taken away from them the two men begin to consider other possibilities, maybe love could be one of them? End Of Season Sale is also being screened as part of Iris’s country focus on Israel – see page 30.

TOP PICKS FOR THE PRIZE Editor, reviewer and Iris pre-selection jury member Philip Wyn-Jones picks out his top five short film. HAVING watched almost 100 films as a member of the pre-selection jury for the main Iris Prize, how on earth can I choose my top eight? Answer – with great difficulty, but here goes!

CIGANO (GYPSY) David Boneville (Portugal) David Boneville is another award-winner. Iris patrons will remember his seriously weird Heiko in 2008. His Cigano (Gypsy), shot in Portugal, is an exciting combination of sexual promise and imminent terror. You may not want to hitch a lift ever again after seeing it.

BARRIO BOY Dennis Shinners (USA) American Dennis Shinners was a member of the Iris Prize international jury a few years ago. His Barrio Boy is a delightfully teasing film about a barber who has lustful thoughts as he cuts his handsome customer’s hair. Will anything come of it?

GLEISDREIECK Maria Jose San Martin (Chile) Two women, fairly advanced in age, have known each other for some time. Were they, perhaps, lovers? One seems to have adopted a caring role. Their brief conversations are repetitive and suggest an element of dementia. A film of great tenderness.

ONE MORE NIGHT Jeff Woodward (Canada) Canadian Jeff Woodward is an actor whose previous experience has been in the world of advertising. One More Night is his first film as director. Two young women spend a last night together. Their uneasy relationship may be a clue as to why they don’t have a future together.

BOYGAME Anna Osterlund Nolskog ( Sweden ) Here’s a female author/director who knows something about teenage boys! Two best friends talk about uncharted territory: sex with girls. Rather than reveal their lack of experience why don’t they practise on each other? But what then? Will their friendship suffer? Their dilemma is presented with a very appealing sense of humour.

VIS A VIS

CAMOUFLAGE

NOVENA

Stephan Kampf + Andreas Kessler (Germany) Two young soldiers are on a military exercise in the countryside and are painting each other’s faces with camouflage. This intimate act is at least homo-erotic. What if their oh-so-macho colleagues imagine, probably correctly, that they are gay? Bearing that in mind, one of them would prefer to stay in the closet.

Anna Rodgers (Ireland) Anna Rodgers is an award-winning Irish director of documentary films. Her beautifully shot Novena looks at the Catholic Church and its attitude towards gay and lesbian sexuality. The film could apply equally to other denominations and religions and is a plea for honest and open discussion.

Dan Connolly ( UK ) Two young men take extreme measures in a desperate attempt to secure a visa. Their overt gayness appears to tick all the right boxes but the immigration official has her doubts. Interestingly, she has her own problems to contend with and the unexpected outcome is the result of that. This sweet comedy proves to be quite emotional.

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SHORTS Programme Three

Cineworld, 7.30pm, Thurs 9 Oct BARRIO BOY Dir: Dennis Shinners, USA 8 min Have you ever experienced love at first sight when you were least expecting it? Many of you may empathise with such a lust – the kind that forces your cheeks to burn as you try to stutter out small talk. Barrio Boy hints at a tale of seduction and secrecy and Dennis Shinners does not shy away from this type of awkward, yet enticing encounter. The film presents a story of a Latino barber who secretly falls in love with a handsome Irish stranger during a haircut on a summer’s afternoon. Shinners has successfully taken the mundane activity of getting a haircut and turned it into a sexy scenario of love and lust. It’s not just the hairdryers that are getting all hot. This tango of tangles is combined with the secrecy that comes with being ‘in the closet’ and being unsure of the sexuality of those they are attracted to. Barrio Boy is a clever confrontation of the potential struggles of a young gay male, set in a macho hood in. The movie was filmed on what Shinners’(who won Pride Films And Plays’ Great Gay Screenplay contest with his film Boys In Summer) explained was the hottest day of the year, the sweaty summer setting certainly adds to the sensuality and slight discomfort of the film’s plot.

I LOVE HOOLIGANS

Dir: Jan-Dirk Bouw, Netherlands 12 min Many of us have an idealised judgement when it comes to football hooliganism. We think of a group of hyper-masculine males behaving in an unruly manner. We think of violence, chanting, fighting and destruction. We think of Vinnie Jones. Do we tend to associate gay men with football hooliganism? Probably not. For decades men’s emotional attachments to their football teams has resulted in some of them throwing things on the pitch, destructing properties, resisting the police and fighting against rival team supporters. In the past hooliganism was associated with the subculture of skinheads that was far from the ideas that surround gay men, yet Jan-Dirk Bouw combines the unconditional love a hooligan feels for his football team and hooligan way of life with the concealment of his sexuality. It illustrates the instances where a person is forced to suppress and hide one part of their identity for the sake of another, seemingly conflicting, identity. I Love Hooligans is an animated documentary, which Jan-Dirk Bouw has written and directed. It combines animated images of hooliganism and a scenario which anyone who has ever struggled with their identity or sexuality may find familiar.

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SURPRISE

Dir: Leslie Bumgarner, USA 10 min Every family has their secrets. It’s the sad truth. Director and cinematographer Leslie Bumgarner illustrates the uncomfortable moment when a young man decides to share his secrets, concerning his sexuality, with his mother in Surprise. They say mothers have a strong intuition when it comes to the sexuality of their children, as they gave birth to them and watch them grow, yet so many mums are still left flabbergasted when their children eventually pluck up the courage to come out. This film illustrates the element of surprise involved in family confessions and the complications of deciding what to choose to share within a family. We’re often told that love between family members is unconditional, but will our families really accept no matter what? What if we confess everything, and what if our loved ones have secrets of their own? Bumgarner was the cinematographer for Going Bongo earlier this year and Inspector Sanchez in 2011, along with a list of other short films. Surprise however, is the first short film Bumgarner has directed and addresses an interesting combination of family tensions and the struggles young people may face with their sexuality.

THE USUAL

Ruth McNally, Ireland 5 min Everyone has a favourite pub. Ask any bartender and they’ll be able to name a few locals who are always the first ones in after work and the last ones to leave. Often demanding lock-ins, catching up over their favourite pint and munching on pork scratchings, you know the locals we mean! They’re very protective over their local pubs too. That’s their turf. The Usual is set in a rural pub, where three Irish farmers are enjoying a break from their toiling and indulging in another pint. They have some unexpected entertainment when an unusual stranger enters and they find his behaviour rather curious. These regulars, however, don’t like this invasion in their pubs. After being so used to a particular crowd and vibe for what has probably been years, they won’t want someone like him hanging around for too long. The film was nominated by the GAZE International LGBT Film Festival and received a glowing reception at its premiere. There are often particular expectations in insular small rural areas and Ruth McNally tackles this issue through her depiction of contrasting characters in The Usual.

O NYLON DA MINHA ALDEIA (TISSUES FROM THE VILLAGE)

Possidonio Cachapa, Portugal 30 min You can’t help who you fall in love with. You also can’t help it if somebody loves you and you don’t feel the same way. Sometimes this is the harsh reality, or perhaps sometimes we are in denial. But, as we all know, feelings can change and love can grow out of nowhere. In O Nylon da Minha Aldeia Marcelona struggles with his unrequited love for Sergio – who fails to accept his affection. This short film is set in a secluded southern Portuguese village, where the traditional expectations of heterosexual relationships may be making people decide to hide their sexuality. It is focused on Marcelona and Sergio’s struggle for survival and the moment when their relationship could evolve. One evening when the river waters are released, the protagonists cross paths and it seems everything could suddenly change. Directed by the writer, screenwriter and producer Possidonio Cachapa, who is renowned for not shying away from taboos, O Nylon da Minha Aldeia deals with romance, survival and the inability to control your own emotions. In the past Cachapa has written and directed a variety of short films and documentaries. He is also a respected novelist after earning a degree in modern literature.

BOYS Dir: Mischa Kamp, Netherlands 78 mins Summer loving, had me a blast. Summer loving, it happened so fast! There is certainly some summer loving in Misha Kamp’s tenn love story Boys when 15 year-old Sieger strikes up a friendship with the intriguing and unpredictable Marc. Sieger, however, is far from the arrogant ‘teenage’ John Travolta in Grease and Marc isn’t exactly Olivia Newton-John. Instead Seiger is a sporty, quiet guy who meets Marc whilst training in a new athletics team. They soon develop a pretty standard teenage boy friendship, which involves a lot of mucking about, but pensive Sieger begins to feel something more and thus begins his inner turmoil and confusion. This isn’t a straight forward love pic, however, as there are plenty of other relationships that make this film all the more rich. There is a complication in form of Jessica, who takes a liking to Sieger, Sieger’s rebellious brother Eddy and his father who is struggling to handle raising two teenage boys on his own. Boys is a change of pace for director Mischa Kamp who has directed many TV productions and the Golden Film award-winning children’s film Where Is Winky’s Horse?. Kamp has done a great job of presenting a blossoming romance between two teenage boys, and her direction has produce some fantastic performances from the young cast. The film will be followed by a screening of the short film The Passerby by Efa Grug BlosseMason – which you read more about on page 12. Cineworld, 6pm, Thurs 9 Oct

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FEATURE FILMS

Cineworld, Thur 9 Oct

THE BUBBLE Dir: Eytan Fox, Israel 117 min With recent escalation of tension between Israel and Palestine it’s difficult to imagine how those living in these areas of conflict cope with the violence that surrounds them. In Eytan Fox’s film a beautiful and bohemian trio, living in Tel Aviv ,wrap themselves in their cosmopolitan life of shops, restaurants and parties. Their perfect bubble burst, however, when one of them returns from military service. Noam come back home to his quirky flat, with fellow gay man Yali and young woman Lulu as his roommates, after witnessing an upsetting events at an Israeli checkpoint. Trying to look away Noam locks eyes with an incredibly attractive Palestinian man, Ashraf. In his rush to leave the checkpoint Noam drops his passport, which Ashraf picks up and decides to return. When the two meet up a romance begins to flourish between them. Being from different sides of the boarder and being the same gender proves complicated, however, and Noam and Ashraf soon become star-crossed lovers. Director, Eytan Fox, is a well respected director and was awarded the Washington Jewish Film Festival’s Decade Award in 2006 for his contribution to Jewish cinema. The Bubble was the opening feature of the very first Iris Festival in 2007 and it has been welcomed back this year as part of Iris’ country focus films. Cineworld, 2pm, Thurs 9 Oct

JOE & BELLE Dir: Veronica Kedar, Israel 80 min This hilariously dark comedy tells the tale of two young women, Joe and Belle, who fall in love over the dead body of the man one of them has accidentally shot. Joe, played by the film’s writer and director Veronica Kedar, is a laidback and charismatic drug dealer while Belle is a dejected and unstable woman who has just been release from a mental hospital. After accidently shooting a man, twice, the pair take it upon themselves to dispose of the body and go on the run. Their journey to from Tel Aviv to Sderot, an area that is constantly being bombarded with rocket and their choice of hiding places, if full of mishaps and mayhem as they get into fights, attempt grand theft auto and get into hostage situations. Expect offbeat humour, plot twists and unstable leading ladies. Director Veronica Kedar will introduce the screening. Cineworld, 8:30pm, Thurs 9 Oct

THE THIRD

LAND OF STORMS

Dir: Rodrigo Guerrero, Argentina 69 min Chat room romances are rife in this technological age, amongst all sexualities and genders. In a sexual fantasy brought to life on screen, protagonist Fede goes to a downtown apartment to meet an older gay couple for an intimate encounter. With a real time pace Argentinian director Rodrigo Guerrero presents The Third; an erotic tale of affection and expectation. The couple are gracious hosts and seem in no rush for the evening to end. Although, through the course of the evening, the cracks in their relationship are slowly revealed and you begin to wonder if it is simply the company of a third party that they desire. Nevertheless, the encounter that follows leaves Fede changed and he wonders if has found a new way to love. Guerrero’s work has been shown at a variety of film festivals including Cannes and Torronto and he has received praise in the form of Sundance and Berlinale Awards.

Cineworld, 7:45pm, Thurs 9 Oct

Dir: Adam Csazi, Hungary 105 min A promising football player, named Szabi, leaves his training camp in Germany to return to native Hungary after getting involved in an altercation. Going home means leaving behind his friend and lover Bernard but when he gets stuck in renovating his grandparents derelict house, which he’s inherited, he meets Aron – a young man from the village who tries to steal his bike. What starts as a difficult encounter changes when they begin to work together on the house. Their simple and basic life turns complicated when Bernard shows up from Germany. Then the locals start to react to the threesome. Land of Storms is a strong, personal story of sexual awakening, self-discovery, and intolerance which convincingly reflects a topic with in a sincere and uncompromising gay love story.

The Third is also being screened on Fri 10 Oct. See page 37. Cineworld, 10pm, Thurs 9 Oct

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ISRAEL SHORTS

Cineworld, 2pm, Fri 10 Oct END OF SEASON SALE Dir: Eli Glazer, Israel 35 min When you think of a one night stand what tends to conjure up in your mind is young people, heading out for a drunken night of revelry and making out in up against the wall of a club, before stumbling home hand-in-hand. This is, of course, not the story of every one night stand. Not all one night stands are drunken, not all one night stands are youthful mistakes, not all one night stands are seedy. When two ageing strangers meet in the street on a rainy night things follow a different path. Though they both like men this is where their sexual similarities end: one man enjoys words without the flesh, the other likes the flesh without words. The night develops, however, when the men discover they are out of Viagra and the set out into the night in an attempt to hunt down the little blue pill. With this physicality taken away from them the two men begin to consider other possibilities, maybe love could be one of them? End Of Season Sale is also an Iris Prize nominee â&#x20AC;&#x201C; see page 24.

AFTER Eytan Fox, Israel 45 min We all had that one teacher at school that was just a nightmare. Nothing was ever good enough and it felt like you would get a screamed at no matter what you did. The kind of teacher that makes you dread every lesson, dream of skipping school or (even better) somehow getting revenge. If only you had some leverage, if only you knew something you could use against them... After follows a young soldier who is being treated harshly by his commanding lieutenant. Just before they will be sent out to Lebanon, their battalion gets one day off to relax in Jerusalem. There the soldier finds out the loud lieutenant has sex in a public park. After was the career starting film of renowned director Eytan Fox in 1990, as he went on to create a number a succseful films including Yossi & Jagger, The Bubble and multi-award winning Walk On Water.

ISRAEL FEATURE FILM

Chapter Arts Centre, 10am, Sat 11 Oct HANDS UNITED + TALK Dir: Yannick Delhaye, France 63 min Often described as a country of paradox, opposing war and peace with a great welcoming and open culture, Israel has embraced cultural change against all odds. This new documentary examines how Israel has become a powerhouse for LGBT cinema. The last decades have seen a generation of filmmakers, including Iris favourite Eytan Fox, who have been real pioneers trying to change mentalities and religious conservatism. The screening will be followed by a discussion chaired by Nir Cohen author {Soldiers, Rebels, and Drifters â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Gay Representation In Israeli Cinema}. This screening is part of our country focus looking at LGBT cinema and Israel.

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BRITISH SHORTS Programme One

Cineworld, 4.30pm, Fri 10 Oct

HOLY THURSDAY (THE LAST SUPPER) Antony Hickling, UK 28 min Growing up with one absent parent can lead to kids fantasying their about mystery parent. Are they perhaps a rich and famous celebrity who could stick around because you were born out of a scandal? Are they a spy who has to keep their identity secret and stay away from their family for the sake of national security? Or are they some knight from another world who had to return to where they came to protect their home from monsters, dragons and evil wizards? With 20-odd-year-old Jean-Christophe, however, things have become a much more surreal and fanciful after meeting his father for the first time rather than before. Jean-Christophe decided to meet the man who has been absent his whole life, but he arranges to meet his mysterious dad in a forest. Within the enchanting surroundings the encounter turns into a dreamlike fantasy tale, and Jean-Christophe is rapidly disillusioned by the reality of the father who has only previously existed in his imagination. J.C. and his father are faced with operatic singers, golden-faced feasters and a young boy dressed as Krishna racing around the woods. Holy Thursday (The Last Supper) is the third and final film in Hickling’s Little Gay Boy trilogy. The series of films began with L’annonciation Or The Conception Of A Little Gay Boy, in which an English prostitute called Marie is picked and revealed by the Annunciation, and Little Gay Boy, Christ Is Dead – where Marie’s son Jean Christophe dreams of becoming a model but is instead changed forever by a series of abusive encounters that take place over the course of just one day.

PLAYING THE GAME

Dir: Jeremy Timings, UK 8 min Remember 1990? It was the year Nelson Mandela was released from prison. The year that Mc Hammer’s U Can’t Touch This went the number one. The year The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air first graced our TV screens. It was also the year West Germany took home the gold at the FIFA World Cup in Italy, the year Alan Shearer’s international career began and the year Arsenal end Liverpool’s unbeaten League run. It is also the year in which Playing The Game is set – not on a football pitch in Italy or even in Hibury – but in East London. Football lads Scott and Mark are getting ready for their Sunday League game. In the excitement of their pre-game banter Scott enthusiastically re-enacts a violent encounter he had last season over breakfast. When Mark joins in with the amateur dramatics, the subject makes a quick shift from Scott’s on-field conquests to his conquests off the field. It’s all fun and games at first, but their playful exchange soon turns dark when Scott reveals himself to be a worryingly convincing performer.

REMISSION

Dir: Christopher Brown, UK 19 min Death is the thing many fear most in life. We have little control over our fate and for many, death creeps up on us, careless and unafraid of sorrow. The desire to avoid death can make people do the unthinkable. It can make us desperate, selfish, helpless and angry. Christopher Brown directs Remission – a haunting film which explores the lengths people will go to in order to save themselves when they are in danger. Two young men, Samford and Max, are travelling through the English countryside with an anonymous boy, with the hope of escaping a deadly virus. Max has become more and more disturbed by Samford’s relationship with the terrified boy, who does not utter a word. Remission portrays the moment that the two men are faced with an awful decision as the young boy continually puts them at risk. Paralleling sexuality and survival in a haunting yet intriguing tale, Christopher Brown’s first critically acclaimed film leaves the question of the characters fate hanging in the country air. Is it too late to cheat death? Remission is also an Iris Prize nominee – see page 46.

VIS À VIS

Dir: Dan Connolly, UK 17 min This quirky comedy has been scooping up awards left right and centre. It’s already picked upBest Short Film at the British Independent Film Festival and been the Official Selection for not one, but three festivals in the States: Palm Springs International Shortfest, Rhode Island International Film Festival and Hollyshorts Film Festival. Vis à Vis is an offbeat comedy about Lara, an unlucky-in-love immigration officer, who is paying a visit to young gay couple Ricky and Martin (see what they did there?) after they make a peculiar looking visa application. Lara, a typical workaholic, is having a terrible day and the last thing she wants is to spend the rest of it interviewing smug couples about their fulfilling and functional love lives. The bubbly couple give her a warm welcome, however, but their hidden agenda soon reveals itself and it forces Lara to re-evaluate her own life and make some big decisions. Dan Connolly is far from new in the world of shorts, having starred in several before now, but his new position in the director’s chair is proving a big success. He hasn’t kept himself behind the camera though, as he is also paying the moustachioed Martin.

MIDDLE MAN

Dir: Charlie Francis, UK 5 min Ever overheard a phone call between two people you weren’t meant to hear? Or perhaps you’ve experienced that awkward discomfort of being trapped in a room whilst two people are having a heated argument? You want to get out and leave them to it, but sometimes you feel obliged to stay. Your manners keep you glued to your seat. Middle man, that’s your role today. They don’t call on your opinion, they are simply in need of a mediator and they need your help. Davie has just started working in a call centre which provides services for the deaf community. Middle Man is a short film edited and directed by Charlie Francis, demonstrating the moment when his new bosses turn up for an inspection. We’ve all felt that pressure to impress and be on top form when the new boss is in the office but, in that moment, Davie finds himself being the middle man between two gay lovers Nathan and Paul. Will he maintain his professionalism? Or will his facade begin to crack? Middle Man is also an Youth Short nomminee – see page 38 – and an Iris Prize nominee – see page 46.

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WEDNESDAY 8th October 2014

09:00 – 16:00

THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY

October 9th October9th 2014 9th2014 October 2014

Event

10th October 10th October 2014 10th2014 October 2014

9:00 – 16:00

IRIS EDUCATION DAY

FRIDAY FRIDAY

FRIDAY

Event

PRODUCERS’ FORUM

A series of workshops and discussion for 14-18 year olds to learn about the film industry.

PROGRAMME 1

Gathering of industry professionals to share advice and discuss film.

12:00

Cineworld

Park Inn Hotel

Cineworld

Nominees

12:00

Feature Film

THE THIRD

Chapter 1

Feature Film

13:00 BRUNCH