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Iris Prize Festival · 2019

Iris Prize Festival 2019

Features

Programme

13 films · 9 reviews

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And Then We Danced

Review preview for And Then We Danced

A passionate energy courses beneath the surface of Levan Akin's tale of love and repression

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
A dancer falls in love with his fiercest rival.

(Country: Sweden, Georgia; Year: 2019; Director: Levan Akin; Writer: Levan Akin; Stars: Ana Javakishvili, Giorgi Tsereteli, Tamar Bukhnikashvili, Marika Gogichaishvili, Kakha Gogidze, Levan Gabrava, Ana Makharadze, Nino Gabisonia, Mate Khidasheli, Aleko Begalishvili, Nia Gvatua, Lucas Hesling, Ketie Danelia, Giorgi Aladashvili, Soso Abramishvili)

Full review

The Archivettes

Review preview for The Archivettes

Itself an important contribution to lesbian history, the film uses photographs and snippets of archive material to bring viewers closer to the human stories that came close to being lost.

Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
A documentary about the Lesbian Herstory Archives, the world’s largest collection of materials by and about lesbians.

(Country: US; Year: 2019; Director: Megan Rossman; Stars: Deborah Edel, Paula Grant, Maxine Wolfe, Shawnta Smith-Cruz, Colette Montoya-Sloan)

Full review

Billie And Emma

Review preview for Billie And Emma

There are fine performances throughout and the two leads are both excellent.

Jennie Kermode · 5 out of 5
A pregnant teenage girl falls in love with the new girl in school.

(Country: Philippines; Year: 2018; Director: Samantha Lee; Writer: Samantha Lee; Stars: Gabby Padilla, Zar Donato, Beauty Gonzalez, Cielo Aquino)

Full review

The Blonde One (Un Rubio)

Review preview for The Blonde One

Marco Berger's beautifully crafted film explores what it means to live undercover in a proudly straight environment.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
Two new flatmates experience a mutual attraction, but can they make it work or is getting involved in this situation asking for trouble?

(Country: Argentina; Year: 2019; Director: Marco Berger; Writer: Marco Berger; Stars: Alfonso Barón, Justo Calabria, Antonia De Michelis, Melissa Falter, Malena Irusta, Gaston Re)

Full review

Changing The Game

Review preview for Changing The Game

Barnett excels at capturing nuances of expression and action.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
Transgender high school athletes from across the US compete at the top of their fields, while also challenging the boundaries and perceptions of fairness and discrimination.

(Country: US; Year: 2019; Director: Michael Barnett; Writer: Michael Barnett, Michelle Mahaffie)

Full review

Cousins (Primos)

Review preview for Cousins

A cheery little comedy which wears its heart on its sleeve.

Jennie Kermode · 3.5 out of 5
Young Lucas lives with his religious aunt in a quiet country town. But this little agitated life is with the days counted when the charitable aunt announces the arrival of another nephew Mario, just out of jail.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2019; Director: Mauro Carvalho, Thiago Cazado; Writer: Thiago Cazado; Stars: Thiago Cazado, Paulo Sousa, Denis Camargo)

Full review

Cubby

Review preview for Cubby

Everything hinges on Blane's performance. Open and emotional and in-your-face as it is, there's more depth there than first meets the eye.

Jennie Kermode · 3 out of 5
Resorting to babysitting for an elite Brooklyn family, an awkward young man discovers hope and self-discipline through his friendship with a lonely six-year-old, and the adult superhero Leather-Man who is conjured from a psychedelic cupcake.

(Country: US; Year: 2019; Director: Mark Blane, Ben Mankoff; Writer: Mark Blane, Ben Mankoff; Stars: Mark Blane, Patricia Richardson, Jeanine Serralles, Peter Y. Kim, Lucy DeVito, Joseph Seuffert, Matthew Shear)

Full review

Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life

Review preview for Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life

Jonathan is an ideal subject because he's completely open to the world.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
Behind the scenes with Israeli global gay-porn sensation and self-admitted mama’s boy Jonathan Agassi during his first eight years in the business.

(Country: Germany, Israel; Year: 2018; Director: Tomer Heymann)

Full review

Leaving Lenin (Gadael Lenin)

Three teachers and seven pupils from a Welsh school visit Russia on an educational field trip, but while travelling on a sleeper train to St Petersburg the teenagers and their teachers are separated, opening up a whole world of opportunities for experimentation and self-discovery for the young travellers.

(Country: UK; Year: 1993; Director: Endaf Emlyn; Writer: Sion Eirian; Stars: Sharon Morgan, Wyn Bowen Harries, Ifan Huw Dafydd, Steffan Trefor, Catrin Mai, Ivan Shvedoff, Richard Harrington, Shelley Rees)

Mom + Mom (Mamma + Mamma)

Two women go through the exhausting process of trying to have a child together.

(Country: Italy; Year: 2018; Director: Karole Di Tommaso; Writer: Karole Di Tommaso, Chiara Ridolfi; Stars: Linda Caridi, Maria Roveran, Andrea Tagliaferri, Silvia Gallerano)

Monsoon

A British Vietnamese man, returns to Saigon for the first time in over 30 years, after fleeing during the Vietnam-American War.

(Country: UK; Year: 2019; Director: Hong Khaou; Writer: Hong Khaou; Stars: Henry Golding, Parker Sawyers, David Tran, Molly Harris, Nguyen Myan, Lâm Vissay, Edouard Leo, Henry Golding, Parker Sawyers, David Tran, Molly Harris, Nguyen Myan, Lâm Vissay, Edouard Leo)

Sequin In A Blue Room

Review preview for Sequin In A Blue Room

Sequin in A Blue Room is a reminder of Nineties angst media and queer celebration, within the dark corners of adolescence.

Stephanie Brown · 5 out of 5
When a teenager's thrill-seeking leads to a memorable encounter at an anonymous sex party, he resolves to track down the mystery guy - even if he has to rely on a menacing former hook-up to help him.

(Country: Australia; Year: 2019; Director: Samuel Van Grinsven; Writer: Samuel Van Grinsven; Stars: Anthony Brandon Wong, Conor Leach, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, Samuel Barrie) , Official site

Full review

These Peculiar Days (Los Días Particulares)

Eight friends travel to a cabin in the woods to celebrate their high school graduation.

(Country: Mexico; Year: 2019; Director: Chucho E Quintero; Writer: Chucho E Quintero; Stars: Gerardo Del Razo, Sofia Sylwin, Carlos Hendrick Huber, Axel Arenas, Christopher Aguilasocho)