SPOTLIGHT
Absolutely dragulous inspiration
Film
WHAT A DRAG
© STUDIO 87
BBC’s Keeping Faith star Eve Myles is turning a larger-than-life Cardiff drag fundraiser into an indie feature film The event, Dragged to Church, which took place in December 2018, was organised to raise funds for Cardiff church St Andrew’s URC in Roath, and saw drag queens do their sassy thing to save the church’s roof from falling into disrepair. And now, St Andrew’s and the team behind Dragged to Church (who, by the way, won a Cardiff Life Award last year) will feature in the new project from Eve’s production company, Empty Room. The uplifting film, due to be released in 2021, will be inspired by this true story of two very different communities who came together in Wales to help save their beloved local church in dire need of repair. And guess who was behind the original project? Only Cardiff Life’s own columnists: the radio presenters Nathan Wyburn and Wayne Courtney! For more: www.voxpictures.co.uk/empty-room-productions
Transport
THE SCOOT LIFE
E-scooters are go for newly established Cardiff-based brand GOiA. Under new rules announced by the UK Government’s Department for Transport, e-scooters are now allowed on roads across the UK as part of a rental pilot scheme. The business hopes to have the e-scooters in place within the city in the coming weeks as a key component of future micro-mobility. The technology chosen for the e-scooters is some of the best available; it includes a docking system and can be controlled via GPS, allowing speed limit restrictions on Jarrad Morris, who the product and the ability to heads up GOiA, disable it if needed, ensuring proving life’s a hoot when you scoot maximum safety. Wales can expect many international companies to try and capture the Welsh market so GOiA is hoping to take the lead and push forward with local authorities across the country. It has also ensured its docking stations are compatible for e-bikes in the future. “Wales has a huge opportunity to lead the way in micro-mobility and build on excellent schemes such as Nextbike in Cardiff,” says Jarrad Morris, who heads up GOiA. “We recognise the work that local authorities are putting into clean air strategies and improving micro-mobility in green, sustainable ways, and as a Welsh business we want to be part of that.” For more: www.goia.city
6 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
Love is love at Cardiff’s Iris Prize
LGBT
PRIDE AND JOY
Thirty five international filmmakers are set to compete for £30,000 prize money as the organisers of Cardiff’s Iris Prize have announced the shortlisted films in competition for the world’s largest international LGBT+ short film prize. In 2017, the festival, supported by The Michael Bishop Foundation, was promoted by BAFTA to A-list festival status, alongside Cannes and Sundance, and it continues to be the only LGBT+ short film prize in the world which allows the winner to make a new film. UK audiences can join in the experience for the first time in the festival’s history, by watching all the nominated shorts for free online, ensuring it reaches a wider audience than ever. The Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival runs from 6 to 11 October, with all screenings, talks and events available online for free. For more: www.irisprize.org
