Iris Podcast

In the last of the series, Damian chats to filmmakers about the importance of real life stories on our screens and what is the reality of looking beyond the lens at the real lives of those our films represent, managing expectation, and the reality of dramatising our stories for screen.

Filming on location is hard, but when you chuck into the mix rural landscapes and unpredictable weather it can be damn near impossible. That and the sensitivities around shooting a queer film, Damian chat to his guests about all this can be possible and is Wales as welcoming as it perceives.

Representation on screen has never been so important, so Damian along with his guests this week chat specifically about queer young people on screen, and is it truly representative of those real lives it depicts.

Ever wondered how those stories appear on screen? Well, this week LGBTQ+ filmmaking podcast Iris answers just that. Join host Damian as he talks to Waterloo Road star Adam Ali as well as filmmaker Keeran Anwar Blessie and Bad Wolf, one the UK’s largest production companies, script editor, Bethan Evans

This week Damian interviews three LGBTQ+ filmmakers specialising in documentaries. Together they discuss the importance and collective responsibility of telling LGBTQ+ stories and ask whether documenteries have a duty to be balanced in their story telling, or does larger bias play a role?

Episode 1 – Authentic Casting We kick things off on LGBTQ+ Iris Podcast talking all things representation in casting, and along with our interviewees attempt to answer the old age question in the filming industry, “should queer roles, be played by queer actors?”

After meeting at Uni and going their separate ways into writing and acting, Olivia and Joey reconnected and made ‘Acrimonious’, based on some of Joey’s real life experiences. They delve into what it’s like to make a film in your own living room, the things that really did happen and the bits that were given some poetic licence. ‘Acrimonius’ is a story of Emeka’s sudden divorce from his husband which leaves him back in his childhood home after he thought he’d left it behind for good. Moving from a middle class dream back to working class reality, Emeka has to relearn how to navigate the single life. To listen to the episode - https://anchor.fm/iris-prize-podcast To watch the film - https://www.irisprize.org/

Manchester based filmmaker Mat Johns discusses his film ‘Inertia’ with Robert, from where the story began, to how much it cost to make and everything in between. The pair dissect the film and we get a first-hand rundown of Mat’s journey from school to the world of film, via the University of Salford. ‘Inertia’ is a story of unlikely friendship between Maddie and Rabia, a teacher and student, as Rabia tries to help Maddie through the overwhelming grief of losing her wife. To listen to the episode - https://anchor.fm/iris-prize-podcast To watch the film - https://www.irisprize.org/

Born and raised in Colchester in Essex, Jack studied in London and made ‘Silver and Gold’ as a love letter to London and it’s iconic scenery. In this episode, he discuses filmmaking with Robert and how YouTube and Pixar influenced his work, along with his experience with making a film during a global pandemic. ‘Silver and Gold’ is a silent short film about a living statue ‘Silver’ performing along the River Thames, who communicates with another living statue opposite her, ‘Gold’. The two form a friendship and then a romance all while communicating through just movement. To listen to the episode - https://anchor.fm/iris-prize-podcast To watch the film - https://www.irisprize.org/

‘Baby Boy’ is a film about a taxi driver’s repressed sexuality and drug addiction coming together over a weekend in London with his younger queer lover. Greg Hall co-wrote and directed the film, and in this episode of the podcast discusses the ambiguity of it alongside some of the deeper meanings of the motifs in ‘Baby Boy’ and how these came about. Greg explores the social realism of the film with host Robert, and explains why this was important to him and co-writer George Russo. They delve into how Greg and George wanted to challenge the norms of films that are about and for working class audiences and how they got into filmmaking to begin with. To listen to the episode - https://anchor.fm/iris-prize-podcast To watch the film - https://www.irisprize.org/

Following a teenager who uses Drag to show her family who she really is, ‘Dragged Up’ was written and directed by Laura Jayne Tunbridge. Laura explains how she didn’t have a queer community around her growing up, and that her experience with being closeted helped to inspire many of the ideas in her film. Primarily a screenwriter, Laura’s experience at Yale University helped to give her the freedom to think about her own sexuality, and make films such as ‘Dragged Up’, which she hopes to make feature-length one day. To listen to the episode - https://anchor.fm/iris-prize-podcast To watch the film - https://www.irisprize.org/

Having been in the industry for over 20 years, Ian Smith discusses with Berwyn how he started, where he is now, and how he used his film ‘3 Letters’ to address homophobia in society. Taking us back to his days at the Newport Film School, Ian tells us about how he got a job at the BBC during a recession, made and sold his own design company, and then returned to BBC Wales, before starting to produce his own films. ‘3 Letters’ is a film about the unfortunate situations that people in the LGBTQ+ often find themselves in, when their family don’t understand or accept their identity. To listen to the episode - https://anchor.fm/iris-prize-podcast To watch the film - https://www.irisprize.org/

Chris gives us an insight into the world of factory work as a queer person, while Lucie explains why they’ll probably never make another film quite as DIY as Factory Talk. We talk all things Iris 2021, and the pair share some details on their next joint project! To listen to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PBjvIHVM8IcUh70xTJu7Y To watch the film visit: https://www.irisprize.org/

The winners of the Iris Prize 2021 explain how they got from and idea on Canal Street to a short film set in Libya. Sam Arbor and Adam Ali talk us through the backstory of Baba, Sam tells us how he met, and then forgot Adam, and the question on everyone’s minds, what colour is Adam’s top? To listen to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PBjvIHVM8IcUh70xTJu7Y To watch the film visit: https://www.irisprize.org/

In this episode, we’re joined by Co-Director, Lloyd and Actor, Sam as they talk us through some of the unexpected backlash they faced when showing S.A.M. to new audiences. Lloyd tells us how he first met George in a service station, Sam compares working on the film to working on Coronation Street, and the pair let us in on whether or not S.A.M will ever be made feature length. Eyre and Ely have previously had a feature film in development with SC Films, and currently are developing a new British Horror film KILL PILL with Island Films, which they co-wrote and are set to co-direct together. In 2020 they completed a coming of age short film S.A.M, which explores acceptance and how people living with a learning disability can feel about love and sexuality. It stars HOLLYOAKS actor David Tag, ACKLEY BRIDGE’s Sam Retford and Mencap ambassador George Webster, with support from Mencap. They are currently developing a feature length version with Island Films. To listen to the episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4D4kS7WX5AN6z3QthfJFLr?si=pYTlLJWKRNOLCVa4poJM7Q

Rosemary discusses being open about your sexuality in the workplace, considers if she is a filmmaker that happens to be lesbian or a lesbian who happens to be a filmmaker and more importantly why is it still difficult for some people to say the word lesbian? “Lesbian.” is a fierce, urgent poem by award-winning British-Syrian writer lisa luxx. It’s about the word “lesbian”, and the decades of toxic connotations that have made it feel like a hostile piece of language: So much so that today, many queer women hesitate before using it. Rosemary Baker’s short film of the poem, which features a cast of real queer women, uses intricate body painting to bring to life what those layers of toxicity feel like. In an era of headline-hitting attacks on lesbians in public, it is a call to arms to take the word back. Rosemary Baker is a queer filmmaker and visual artist in Wales, with an established career in documentary filmmaking for television. Her film “Lesbian.”, originally commissioned for Channel 4’s Random Acts short film platform at the Edinburgh International TV Festival in 2019, is her debut short film, and her first collaboration with the spoken word artist lisa luxx. To listen to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PBjvIHVM8IcUh70xTJu7Y To watch the film visit: https://www.irisprize.org/

‘From A to Q’ is the story of 22 year old Alex who wakes suddenly from a dream where she’s intimate with Kayla. Only problem is; Kayla happens to be Alex’s best friend and Alex has never been with a girl before… She now has to navigate through her new found feelings, all the while trying really hard not to mess up the friendship she’s had since she was 5. Emmalie is a writer, director and editor based in London who grew up in Spain, France and the US. In 2018 she made her first lesbian short film called ‘The Date’ which went on to do very well at film festivals around the world and has over 800k views online. Since then, she’s set out to create positive lesbian representation and in 2020, she made her second short film ‘From A to Q’. She’s very passionate about telling real human stories and hopes to continue doing so for as long as she can. To listen to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PBjvIHVM8IcUh70xTJu7Y To watch the film visit: https://www.irisprize.org/

James Bell and Leo Lebeau Birthday Boy London based filmmakers James and Leo discuss the importance of authentic storytelling, how they engaged with the Trans community and secured their trust, and the challenges and rewards of being determined to find a Trans actor to play the lead role in Birthday Boy. “Birthday Boy” A transgender boy celebrates his birthday in online games, away from the bullying he faces at an all-girls school. A film by an LGBTQ+ crew. To listen to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PBjvIHVM8IcUh70xTJu7Y To watch the film visit: https://www.irisprize.org/

Efa Blosse-Mason discusses her love of animation, how she sustained a wrist injury while animating and why she wants to create something "naughty and sexy" are just some of the topics covered in this podcast with Cardiff based Iris alumni, Efa. 'Cwch Deilen': An animated love story about a leaf which becomes a boat, and fears come out of the murky waters as sea monsters and storms. Will the Leaf Boat survive the tumultuous waves? AWARDS: Official Selection at Tribeca Film Festival To listen to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PBjvIHVM8IcUh70xTJu7Y To watch the film visit: https://www.irisprize.org/

‘Pop’ Storyline: Jack is a young boy exploring his own identity when he befriends a recently released ex-convict, Pop. The pair bond, but Pop's past and his inability to control his emotions threaten to put Jack in danger. Margo Roe is a writer, director and choreographer from the Midlands, UK. Her career started with a theatre commission from the The Lincoln Company, co-directing a physical theatre piece for the TLC’s Edinburgh Fringe Tour 2014. In 2016 she was commissioned by Channel 4/Creative England Random Acts programme to direct and choreograph NAME, a short dance film now available on the Channel 4 website. Margo’s recent short film ‘ Searching for Cowardice’ was created as part of the BBC New Creatives programme and broadcast as part of BBC4’s Female Filmmakers screening. ‘Searching for Cowardice‘ is now being adapted as a TV series with BFI Young Audience Content Fund and has been selected for the Torino Series Lab 2021. Margo’s BFI Midlands Short film ‘POP’, is now entering the film festival circuit. To listen to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PBjvIHVM8IcUh70xTJu7Y To watch the film visit: https://www.irisprize.org/