Cardiff University Supports Iris Prize

The University is supporting one of the world’s leading film festivals for LGBT filmmaking which showcases original short films from around the globe. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Now in its tenth year, the Iris Prize Festival is the home of LGBT filmmaking and has been identified as one of the top 50 film festivals in the world. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This year, the University is the sponsor of the Youth Jury Award for Best Short film, which will be judged by school pupils from across Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Alongside the festival, the University’s relationship with Iris has helped create new opportunities for students to experience working in the creative and cultural industries. For the first time this year two of the University’s students had the opportunity to undertake internships in the festival office. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

An event for students who identify as LGBT+ to talk to an experienced panel about their careers was also held, in association with the Iris Prize Festival. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Jane Goodfellow, Head of Careers and Employability at Cardiff University said: “We strive to continue to improve the experience of our LGBT+ students, and our panel event was the first of its kind held by the University. It gave our LGBT+ students the chance to hear from an inspirational employer panel who each gave personal and unique accounts of their experiences in the workplace.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cardiff University is committed to supporting, developing and promoting equality and diversity in all its practices and activities. Alongside an active LGBT+ society the University has implemented an anti-homophobic bullying policy, and regularly engages with the wider community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A Stonewall Diversity champion, the University was ranked in the top 20 in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index – the higher education sector’s highest-placed institution. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Karen Cooke, Chair of the University Staff LGBT+ Network, Enfys added: “Supporting the Iris Prize not only shows prospective students and staff internationally that LGBT equality matters at Cardiff University, it also enables us to show our support to a locally grown community event which is now a huge success across the globe. Our submission to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index every year always includes our proud support of Iris.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Iris Prize Festival takes place in Cardiff between 12-16 October 2016. 35 short films will compete for the Iris Prize, with the winner receiving £30,000. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Berwyn Rowlands, Festival Director said: “The relationship between the festival and Cardiff University has developed organically over the past four years. This year we have been very impressed with the student interns who’ve joined Team Iris. One of them admitted that she only found out about Iris after our Chair, Andrew Pierce, gave a talk at the University earlier this year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The relationship with Cardiff University will be further celebrated on opening night as a Cardiff University building is given star billing in our special 10th anniversary opening night film!” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​