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# SPOTLIGHT: Iris films @ Brighton Fringe
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/spotlight-iris-films-brighton-fringe/
- Published: 2022-05-24T11:00:02.000Z
- Updated: 2022-05-23T20:40:05.000Z
- Description: Brian Butler finds LGBTQ+ Iris films a great watch at Brighton Fringe
- Author: Brian Butler
- Tags: Arts, Brighton Fringe, Reviews, Berwyn Rowlands, Channel 4, Iris Prize, Peccadillo Pictures, Tim Highsted

The internationally-acclaimed **Iris Prize LGBTQ+ film festival** is back at **Brighton Fringe** with three very contrasting programmes of movies to watch down on the seafront.

At the launch event, Iris boss **Berwyn Rowlands** told *Scene*: “Since the pandemic we’ve revalued our lives and it’s great to be back sharing LGBTQ+ stories.

“We’re very diverse and I look forward to the day that, for instance, in cop stories on TV the character’s sexuality is incidental. Our next phase, guided by our new chairman, **Tom Abell** of **Peccadillo Pictures**, will be worth looking forward to. What we do is quite lonely sometimes.”

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/img_0943.jpg)

Irish launch: Brian Butler, Tom Abell, Berwyn Rowlands and Tim Highsted

Hove-based **Channel 4** executive **Tim Highsted** said: “I’m struck by the community of LGBTQ+ film-makers at Iris. Clearly they have a talent and passion.

“What keeps coming through is the extraordinary array of talent Iris promotes.”

**All 4** is once again showing the best of the British short films from Iris in an ongoing partnership. Let’s hope none of this ground-breaking work is jeopardised by the planned sale of the channel.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/baba-iris-prize-2021-winner.jpg)

Baba

There’s another two weeks to catch the three Iris programmes at the Fringe. They are: a series of animated short films from the last 15 years; the best of Iris 2021, which includes the double-award winning *Baba*, and a selection of trans stories. I sampled the last of these programmes and here are my thoughts:

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/og-image.jpg)

POP

**POP** is an intriguing and dark story of a young trans boy coming to terms with his sexual identity and his connection to a recently-released prisoner, played with great grittiness by TV actor **Stephen Graham**.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/gods-daughter-dances_still-2-600x338-1.png)

God’s Daughter Dances

**God’s Daughter Dances** deals with a post-op woman who performs regularly as a dancer in a Korean night club but whose future is turned upside down when she is called for medical examination before being conscripted as a man into the military. It’s a stark story of transphobia, bigotry, human frailty, but also resilience and defiance. Beautifully filmed and acted.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/birthday-boy-still-01-scaled-1.jpg)

Birthday Boy

**Birthday Boy** centres on a trans schoolboy Alex, whose secret life is talking about the games he invents and having a secret male admirer online. Alexandra, as everyone calls him, is at an all-girls private school and subjected to ridicule, physical violence and hatred. But ultimately it’s a story of hope and positivity as the online correspondent is someone much closer to Alex than he thought.

**The three programmes run until June 4 at the Electric Arcade during Brighton Fringe. Programme times and tickets [HERE](http://otherplaceticketing.co.uk/?ref=scenemag.co.uk)**