Maili Fraser on the Iris Prize: 'We knew this was something our group of queer film enthusiasts would really enjoy'
Scottish filmmaker Steven Fraser has his eyes on the Iris Prize, a celebration of LGBTQ+ storytelling. Isy Santini finds out about the personal story behind his short film Keith and why it captured the selection panel’s votes
The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival has been championing homegrown queer cinema for 20 years with their Best British Short programme, which sees each film in the category broadcast on Film4 before becoming available on Channel 4. The festival relies on partner venues across the UK to shape the line-up, with each nominating the best queer film from their own region.
This year the Iris Prize joined forces with Edinburgh’s Filmhouse, whose inaugural Queer Film Prize determined which short would earn a coveted spot in the Best British Short programme. The selection panel was composed of Filmhouse staff as well as members of its queer community programming group, who curate the venue’s Lavender Lens strand. ‘We wanted the selection process to reflect the opinions of our local queer community in Edinburgh,’ explains Maili Fraser, the Filmhouse’s learning and engagement officer. ‘We also knew this was something our group of queer film enthusiasts would really enjoy.’
The Queer Film Prize was awarded to the animated documentary, Keith. Set in Glasgow, it chronicles one man’s efforts to put a name to the dead body discovered outside his building. Through the world of his painstakingly animated phone screen, we are offered glimpses into his life and relationships as a picture of loneliness begins to emerge. Keith’s director, Steven Fraser, is no stranger to the Iris Prize, having been nominated before with his 2019 short, Dix Pix. ‘That was before there was the relationship with Channel 4,’ he says. ‘I never thought I’d get it again because it’s quite a difficult festival to get into, so when I saw the Filmhouse prize, I thought I might as well give it a shot.’ The selection panel’s decision was practically unanimous, earmarking Keith as a potential winner upon first viewing. ‘The selection group loved its originality, the incredible visual style, and the complex and personal story,’ recalls Maili.
The story is certainly personal, based on Steven’s own discovery of a nameless body, and Keith’s visual style is also rooted in its personal nature. ‘It’s animated because it’s really about memory and the piecing together and exploring of different elements of communication,’ says Steven. Keith’s protagonist is implied to be both queer and autistic, something which impacts how he interacts with the world around him. ‘It’s somebody who is struggling to communicate but trying to find the right language.’
The Iris Prize is online from Tuesday 13–Saturday 31 October.