Best British Shortlist For 2026 Iris Prize Revealed

Organisers of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival – celebrating global stories and Cardiff charm, supported by The Michael Bishop Foundation are pleased to announce the shortlist of 15 films competing for the 2026 Iris Prize Best British Short sponsored by Film4 and Pinewood Studios.  This year, the shortlist which includes films from Wales, Scotland, and England, has been revealed at a special event hosted by Scene Festival, Manchester.

Iris Prize Festival Director Berwyn Rowlands said: 

“For many filmmakers this is simply the standard for storytelling in the UK. I love watching the standard improving year after year. The partnership with Film4 also allows more people to experience LGBTQ+ stories which the mainstream can sometimes ignore. 

“The success of Best British Day last year has allowed us to build for the 20th anniversary, and this birthday year promises to be one of the best yet. 

“We are here to share stories, meet filmmakers, and harness the energy that you all bring to the festival, and of course our audience can decide about the films for themselves during the festival in Cardiff or when the Best British Shorts appear on Channel 4 post festival.” 

Each of the shortlisted films will be streamed on Channel 4 for a year after the festival. All the nominated films are eligible for consideration for BAFTA and can automatically be entered by the filmmakers.    

Tim Highsted, Senior Editor, Acquired Feature Films at Channel Four Television, said: 

“I’m delighted once again to head up the the Best British Short Jury at this year’s Iris Prize, which continues to introduce and showcase the unique talent of filmmakers across the UK.” 

Gary James Williams is the Programme Lead at Scene: 

“We are delighted to be hosting the Iris Prize Best British announcement 2026 in Manchester, during Scene.  This is our second time nominating a short LGBTQ+ film for the Best British category at Iris.  Our involvement is a great way for us to champion and celebrate filmmaking talent from northwest England.” 

This year, there will be a dedicated Best British Day on 16 October, with all the shortlisted film programmes screening, the Best British lunch, and the Best British award announcement and party in the evening. 

Each of the Top 15 films will be eligible for the following awards: 

• Iris Prize Best British Short Award – Sponsored by Film4 & Pinewood Studios  

• Best British Performance in a Female Role  

• Best British Performance in a Male Role  

• Best British Performance Beyond the Binary  

• Iris Prize Co-op Audience Award (voted for by festival audiences, in-person and online)  

• Iris Prize Youth Jury Award  

• Iris Prize Elders Jury Award  

Here are the shortlisted films for the Iris Prize Best British Short, sponsored by Film4 and Pinewood Studios: 

Between Breath & Silence – Dir. Nicole Pott. UK. 2026. 18 mins. 

When his terminally ill father returns home, a young gay man must confront years of silence, family tensions and the possibility that time is running out. 

Bluebird – Dir. Maya Yoncali. UK. 2026. 18 mins. 

Noah leaves London behind for the industrial banks of the Thames, where they’re invited into a state of in-between, as the city fades away and the river turns to sea. 

Every Time I See A Cock I Go Funny – Dir. Lyndon Henley Hanrahan. UK. 2026. 21 mins. 

When a Yorkshire coal miner’s trousers get stolen, a scandal erupts that sinks the colliery into turmoil, exposing the hypocritical, horny heart of post-war British pride and masculinity. 

Hugged People, Hug People – Dir. Jojo Bossman. UK. 2026. 6 mins.  

Following an incident at a party, Nadia and Oko try to piece together their feelings by dissecting the anatomy of a hug and what it means to hold another person. 

Keith – Dir. Steven Fraser. Scotland, UK. 2025. 8 mins. 

Keith tells the story of the filmmaker who found a dead body behind the rubbish bins at his flat in Glasgow. 

Life of Kai – Dir. Fox Fisher. UK. 2026. 22 mins. 

A decade-long chronicle of Kai, a young trans boy coming of age amidst a shifting landscape of trans rights in the UK, as he navigates the complexities of identity, acceptance, medical transition and the pursuit of happiness. 

Magid / Zafar – Dir. Luís Hindman. UK. 2025. 18 mins. 

Tensions arise amidst the heat of a busy British Pakistani takeaway..

Making It Fit – Dir. Mariana Leal. UK. 2025. 5 mins. 

A short documentary film about how the LGBTQIA+ community has been reinventing funerary and remembrance rituals to better support and reflect the way people live in community. 

Meet Frankie – Dir. Steven Kunis. UK. 2026. 14 mins. 

When Guy introduces the man he loves to his parents, a Sunday lunch takes an unexpected turn. Funny, poignant and surprising, Meet Frankie explores love, family expectations, and the enduring pull of the past. 

Molly – Dir. Darius Shu. UK. 2026. 23 mins.  

A chance encounter at a launderette sparks a meaningful connection between Vinnie and Ryan. As closeness blurs into desire, they are forced to confront what love demands before it fractures everything they have built.

None Of Us? – Dir. Holly Eysselinck. UK. 2026. 9 mins.  

The traditional picture of new grad success finds herself slowly dissolving into an online existence. In a space where nothing means anything, how do you still feel like a winner?

Notice Me – Dir. Amy Leonard. UK. 2025. 18 mins. 

When Em moves to East London to kick-start her podcasting career, she soon finds that 3 seconds of prolonged eye contact with her sexy neighbour AJ sends her into a complete sapphic spiral.

Please Mistress – Dir. Alia Ramna. Wales, UK. 2025. 14 mins. 

Based on lived experience, this darkly funny film traces Ayesha’s dive into online sex work.  Varied interactions with her invisible clientele help her find her power as a trans woman. 

Requirements – Dir. Caroline Hajny. UK. 2025. 18 mins. 

After 10 years of living abroad, immigrant Elena is tantalizingly close to receiving her citizenship. But as the government expands control over its people, a new mind reading technology is used to filter out undesirable applicants whose innermost thoughts and values do not fully align with them. Elena has to decide between the future she has built with her girlfriend or moving back home, a country ravaged by its own regime which, would consider her relationship illegal.

Yellow Bucket – Dir. Simon Brooke. UK. 2025. 16 mins. 

A scientific discovery shakes Connor and his family. 

The winner of the Iris Prize Best British award will be invited to be part of the 2027 Iris Prize Best British Jury. All films in the Best British 2026 shortlist will be broadcast and streamed on Channel 4 for one year. A licence fee will be paid to all shortlisted Best British filmmakers. 

Passes for the Best British Day are available to buy now at the reduced rate of £40 (until 3 September). The pass includes screenings of all Best British films, a special lunch featuring a short performance  by Iris Prize Patron Heather Small, and a seat at the prestigious award ceremony on Friday evening, hosted by Stifyn Parri. 

Full details about Iris can be found here:  www.irisprize.org 

Iris Prize will return in 2026 for the 20^th edition on Monday 12 October until Sunday 18 October.