Alexander Farah’s ‘One Day This Kid’ Named 2025 Iris Prize Winner

The organisers of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival – celebrating global stories and Cardiff charm have proudly announced that Alexander Farah has won the prestigious Iris Prize supported by The Michael Bishop Foundation for his film One Day This Kid.  The announcement was made on 19 October at the BBC Wales studios in Cardiff. 

Alexander Farah is a queer Afghan-Canadian filmmaker whose work has screened globally at TIFF, Berlinale, Telluride, and Clermont-Ferrand. He holds two Jury Prizes and one Audience Choice Award from SXSW for his projects Meet You At The Light and One Day This Kid, both of which he directed.  

Alexander’s winning film, One Day This Kid, tells the story of Hamed, a first-generation Afghan Canadian man, through a deftly composed array of small yet pivotal moments.  Hamed takes steps toward establishing an identity of his own while always conscious of his father’s shadow.  

Tom Paul Martin, the chair for the 2025 Iris Prize, spoke for the international jury: 

“A life that flashes before our eyes, this film is a remarkable feat. Every scene is so richly embroidered with detail, but it never feels overwhelming. That’s because the themes – of queerness being with us before we have the words to describe it, and the longing to reconcile it with our other identities – are so universal. Hamed’s story resonated with each of us and we know it will continue to resonate with audiences worldwide. We the jury award  One Day This Kid directed by Alexander Farah the 2025 Iris Prize. 

“Special mention goes to Two People Exchanging Saliva by Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh (France), an intoxicating glimpse of a world that’s as dangerous as it is beautiful and breathtakingly unique. 

“And a special mention also goes to Rainbow Girls by Nana Duffuor (USA), a deliciously unapologetic middle-finger from Black trans women who’ve decided that if society wants to push them to the fringes, they’re grabbing everything in the store on their way out.” 

Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival Director said: 

“Every year I am amazed at the craftsmanship and storytelling skills of our winning films, and this year is no exception.  One Day This Kid is a delightful piece of cinema that weaves snapshots from one man’s life from a young boy to a mature adult.  It is an emotional journey that we are invited to share with the filmmaker.”