Organisers of Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival are delighted to announce that they will be supporting Cowbridge Pride this year with an exclusive Iris Prize Mini Film Festival held at Cowbridge Town Hall on 21 June. The festival will feature the world premiere of Am Byth, a short film made by Iris in the Community in partnership with NHS Wales and funded by The National Lottery Community Fund.

Ian H Watkins of Cowbridge Pride said: "Cowbridge Pride is thrilled to be collaborating with the Iris Prize on our upcoming film festival. I am such a fan of their work. I have attended the Iris Prize Film Festival in the past and was blown away by the talent. I am so proud of our collaboration and this is only the beginning of something really special." 

During the evening, which begins with a red carpet reception, three films will be shown: Am Byth, Spoilers, and Cardiff, and following the screenings there will be Q&A with stars from the films Stifyn Parri, Rebecca Harries and Lynn Hunter.

Iris Prize and Cowbridge Pride are delighted to be working together to make an LGBTQ+ short film with the community in Cowbridge. With the generous donations collected at the Iris Prize Mini Film Festival at Cowbridge Pride 2023, Iris will work closely with a local group to create the film which will premiere at Cowbridge Pride in 2024. 

Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize Festival Director, said: "I've heard a lot of good things about Cowbridge Pride and adding a mini film-festival sounded like the right thing to do. We are thrilled to be working with Ian, who clearly has way too much energy for one person! The red carpet should be fun before we settle down to watch some amazing LGBTQ+ short films, including the premier of Am Byth.

"We are also excited to be embarking on our first film collaboration with Cowbridge Pride. Our community work is funded by the Lottery Community Fund and we will soon have produced 50 short films! Iris also runs LGBTQ+ education and community outreach projects in Wales and the UK throughout the year. Looking forward to what the community in Cowbridge bring us later this year."

The Iris Prize Mini Film Festival at Cowbridge Pride will feature:

This short film, made by Iris in the Community in partnership with NHS Wales, is based on the true story of a lesbian couple, Kim and Roseann, who were married at Velindre Hospital, Cardiff in 2018 whilst Kim was receiving treatment for cancer. This emotional film is a touching love story between two women and is also a celebration of the amazing staff who work for our NHS and the importance of compassionate care. 

The film stars Rebecca Harries (Keeping Faith, Stella) and Lynn Hunter (The Tuckers), who will join us for the post screening Q&A, supported by a cast of NHS professionals. 

Leon's loved and lost. 

He's hit ground zero and never wants to go through that hell again. But then he meets someone incredible. Life seems full of possibility again. Inside his molecules are a hot mess and figurative butterflies are doing flash mobs in his tummy. BUT… what if he knew the ending before it even began? What if that ending involved more suffering? With all that painful baggage, could he have a second chance at true intimacy? 

Perpetually single, Frederick envies his fabulous gay friend Joe, who seems to have a never-ending supply of paramours despite being happily married himself. But when Frederick's meddling mother arrives for a visit, she thrusts him into a forbidden romance, and a series of unforeseen betrayals hilariously expose some carefully held secrets. The film stars Welsh Icon Ruth Madoc, in her final screen role, Stifyn Parri and Richard Elis. 

Cowbridge Pride was founded in 2022 by Steps star, Ian H Watkins, with a mission to educate, celebrate and raise money for LGBTQ+ resources in Cowbridge schools. H wants his children to grow up in an all-inclusive community and strives to be the change he wants to see in the world. Thus, Cowbridge Pride was born.