Broken hearts and burnt out staff: was this to be the finale? The five day long festival was coming to a grand close, having already achieved its promise of being bigger and better than ever before. The toll of late night partying was evident on the faces of the filmmakers: the social side of the Iris Prize Festival was worth the flight over for many of those coming from far afield. There was gossip and speculation aplenty as the champagne reception in Cardiff’s Park Inn Hotel got the festival spirit flowing again. The staff and organisers had somehow tapped into hidden reserves of energy, with the media buzz still electric and the day running silky smooth.
After some mingling, a champagne flute rang out and the hum fell to silence. Festival organiser, Berwyn Rowlands, took to the stage and announced that Iris had ‘packed her bags’, like many of the filmmakers who would be dashing away to chase more festivals, start new projects, or take a well-deserved rest. Despite this, the melancholy which comes at the end of every Iris Prize Festival was kept at bay by the excitement alive within all present: the award show was yet to begin.
In a grand hall, patrons and artists alike were equipped with full bellies and wine before attention was directed towards the stage, and two crystalline plinths bathed in a warm red glow. Iris was finally going to be given a ceremony worthy of the world’s largest gay and lesbian short-short film prize.
Taking to the stage was the fabulous Amy Lamé. Clad in a glorious leopard print dress rich in class and emboldening her curves, Miss Lamé sported high-heels to terrorise any metatarsal. She looked supreme as she welcomed the sold-out crowd to the final event in the Iris Prize Festival calender. After four days of film nirvana, luxurious in stunning cinematography and full of powerful narrative, we would finally discover who will take home the £25,000.
Now it really was time to end the anxiety and announce some winners!
So So Gay’s film and TV editor, James Waygood, was on hand to announce the awards for Best Actor and Best Actress in a feature film, voted for by the online magazine’s own journalists.
Ohad Knoller was awarded Best Actor in a Feature Film for his portrayal of Dr Yossi Guttman in Eytan Fox’s Yossi. His co-star and fellow nominee, Oz Zehavi, was on hand to thank the audience on Mr Knoller’s behalf. He also promised to pass on the good news to Mr Knoller who he said would, “Be pleased he won it over me!”
Best Actress in a Feature Film was awarded to Kristina Valada-Viars for her acclaimed role as Molly in Molly’s Girl. The stunning Miss Valada-Viars was as shocked as she was grateful to be presented with the honour. The audience were treated to a clip of the film showcasing one of Molly’s zany moments, and it was confirmed to all that Kristina was a worthy winner of the prize.
Keith Jones, Deputy Lord Mayor of Cardiff, then announced the winner of the Best Feature Film to be Sex of Angels by Xavier Villaverde. In a field of strong competition from the likes of Molly’s Girl, Yossi, and Elliot Loves, the Spanish film about polyamory really did shine, effortlessly hypnotising audiences and challenging their beliefs on the subject.
Amy Lamé and Fabio Youniss, winner of Best UK Short
The West End star Daniel Boys then announced the winner of the Best UK Short Film. A humble Fabio Youniss took to the stage to accept the award for his film A Stable for Disabled Horses. Made with only two actors working gratis and a budget of just £100, the film took the audience from hysterics to tear-invoking heartbreak. The strength of the performance by comedian Daniel Swan in the short film was one of the highlights of the entire festival.
And finally, the moment had arrived. The announcement of the winner of the Iris Prize 2012 was nigh. Iris Jury Chair, Lisa Power, commended all the filmmakers whose efforts had made this year’s decision a tough one. Building up the tension, Ms Power offered special commendation to Yeah Kowalski!, the outrageously funny tale of adolescence set in Austin, Texas, hometown of director Evan Roberts. The powerful Australian entry, These Empty Streets, also received commendation for director Jarrah Gurrie.
When nobody could take any more, she then announced the winner of the Iris Prize 2012: Australian film-maker Grant Scicluna’s The Wilding. The brutal story of love in a boy’s borstal was a worthy winner, surpassing all expectation of the genre and the medium.
Lisa Power described the film as, “Wonderfully self-assured. It took a familiar trope and turned it into an extraordinary story. This was a special film which demanded attention and every which way we counted the votes and considered our options The Wilding came out on top.”
The film is precise and unforgiving in its execution; even the short clip shown to the award show audience got hearts pounding and sent ripples of shivers down spines.
Grant Scicluna will be awarded with £25,000 to make his next film here in Wales. The prospect of this is an exciting one for the future of film in general, and with films of this calibre in the Iris Prize Festival, gay and lesbian film is where it’s all happening. Next year’s festival is definitely something to look forward to.
For this year, though, the culmination of five days of screenings has found a short film that leaves nothing wanting: The Wilding is the winner of the Iris Prize 2012.
Writer: Adrian Naik
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