Iris Prize Reveals 2026 Community, Education + Micro Short Awards Winners

The organisers of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival – a celebration of global stories and Cardiff charm are delighted to announce that three fantastic short films have won awards in the Iris Prize Community, Education, and Micro-Short category:

Uncanny Waters by Ray Malone and Steve Melia; Kiss Me Thru the Phone by Scarlett J. Stribley; and Clecs/Gossip by Harri Shanahan. The Iris Prize Community, Education, and Micro-short Awards are sponsored by Mark Williams, in memory of his sister Rose Taylor. 

The shortlisted films in each category were screened on Wednesday, 14 October, with the announcement of the winner following the screenings. The awards were presented by Leila Navabi, with the jury including Efa Blosse-Mason, Katie White, Ryan Rowe, and Paul Davies (Stumpy).  

Iris Prize Festival Director Berwyn Rowlands said:

“The Community, Education, and Micro-short Awards are just one of the many ways filmmakers can get involved with Iris. You can aim high and go straight for the Iris Prize or start with a project rooted in your own community. At Iris, we want LGBTQ+ stories to reach the widest possible audience – and the brilliant thing is, those stories come in all shapes and sizes.” 

Community Award Winner | Uncanny Waters directed by Ray Malone and Steve Melia

Ray (she/they) is the founder of Heads Bodies Legs Collective, bringing over a decade of experience delivering interdisciplinary projects across cultural institutions and community spaces. Their practice spans live performance, film, photography and hybrid storytelling, using each form to explore queer ancestry, feminist histories and the uncanny. Her work responds to the rise of fascism through anti‑fascist world‑building and practices of collective care. 

The jury said:

“We feel this is a defiant, optimistic, and in parts – wonderfully bonkers joy filled community project worthy of recognition.  

“There’s a tangible display of intergenerational community inclusion in a group which lets every generation of its 60-year age gap participants have a voice and be seen. There’s a sense of shared ideas, fun, encouragement, empathy and maybe most importantly, anger. Relevant, unapologetic anger at world events, and issues closer to home.  

The collective strength and collaboration of this film glistens off the screen like the water they quote as ‘transformative and resistant’, and as they say in the film – ‘this is the power of queer joy…’  

“We particularly resonated with a quote from the film showing strength and resilience, which we feel could inspire others feeling overwhelmed and under supported right now.  

 ‘When we have everybody together it’s inspiring to look at our heritage and go… we’ve survived this before. How can we come together to fight the injustices that we’re facing?’ 

Education Awards Winner | Kiss Me Thru the Phone directed by Scarlett J. Stribley

Scarlett J. Stribley is a British-American writer and director based in Greater Manchester, specialising in experimental fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and queer cinema. They are currently studying Film Production at the University of Salford. 

The jury said:

“A very strong individual cinematic voice for me. As soon as the film starts you are immediately struck by its cinematography, colour, lighting, soundtrack and overall atmosphere. There is a clear immediate sense of ambition and risk in the filmmaking.” 

Micro-Short Winner | Clecs/Gossip directed by Harri Shanahan  

Harri Shanahan is a filmmaker, artist and animator based in Manchester UK. Harri co-directed and created animation for the feature documentary, Rebel Dykes (Bohemia Media/BFI 2021). Harri learned animation independently through experimentation as part of a wider art practice that encompasses video, painting and performance, before gaining an MA in animation in 2019. Harri produces and directs music videos and short artist films and was also a member of alternative band and Feminist art collective ILL, whose debut album was released in 2019. Welsh narration and English subtitles. 

The jury said:

“This wonderfully cheeky short animation brought together a charming combination of poetry, unique visual style and voice over / sound design to tell a story of two older women in love from the perspective of a younger woman. In just a few minutes I left like I was taken along for the train ride and captivated by this craftily made short.”