Iris Prize Celebrates ‘Teth’ As First Welsh Language Film At 2025 BFI Flare

The organisers of the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival supported by the Michael Bishop Foundation are thrilled to congratulate Leo Drayton and Peter Darney, the writer and director of the game changing short film Teth, which will screen at this year’s BFI Flare, following its world premiere in Cardiff last October. This will be the first time a Welsh language film is screened at the prestigious London festival.

Leo Drayton’s much applauded Teth was commissioned by S4C to screen as part of the opening night celebrations of the 2024 Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival. Written by Leo who also plays Ioan a young Trans man following surgery, the story follows him and his father as they adapt to their new relationship as father and son, that is until the dog mistakes a nipple for a chew toy.

Teth is unusual because it is a comedy and a Trans comedy at that which has been fondly described by Iris Prize Director Berwyn Rowlands as “a 2025 update to the Carry On franchise.” 

“I knew almost immediately that Leo and the team behind the film had created something significant, but I needed the 350 strong audience on opening night to confirm my hunch. Audiences across the UK who’ve seen Teth as part of Iris on the Move 2025 have also agreed. We’ve had some lovely comments on social media and received many e-mail messages.” 

Berwyn has had the chance to interview Leo in venues across Wales as part of the tour. And as each audience gets an opportunity to discover the story behind the story, they also get to understand more about the audience. 

“Leo and I have noticed there’s a point (without a spoiler!) where the audience realise that they are allowed to laugh. And it’s not just a polite giggle, it feels like a release for some in the audience of years of insecurity in how they respond to Trans stories. Teth is an important new contribution, even an alternative narrative for a Trans story.” 

Leo deliberately decided he wanted to use comedy to tell this story. “Teth was always going to be light-hearted film, based on real events that happened to me. There are lots of depressing Trans films out there so it’s nice to have this kind of representation, and it’s helpful to have this perspective out there so Trans people watching know it’s not all doom and gloom.”

The story that also resonated with audiences is how Leo ended up playing the lead role in the film. It was news to him, but the director Peter Darney and the rest of the production team assumed it would be Leo in the lead role. 

Leo takes up the story: “The other members of the team sort of assumed that I would be acting in it! I had never acted before but quickly found out that with the requirements of finding a Trans actor who had recently had top surgery, fluent in Welsh, and was available near Cardiff in their short filming time – I was really the only option! But I’m glad I did it and it feels like a full circle moment from creating the project to fully telling my story on screen.”

Berwyn believes that Teth has some way to go, and the short film’s journey has only just started: “There will be festival programmers across the world, delighted when they realise, they can add this comedy short film in Welsh to their programmes. Audiences will also enjoy the opportunity to be entertained by this authentic piece of storytelling. 

“If there were any doubters out there about the power of Teth, the screening at BFI Flare in March confirms that Teth is not just a Welsh love affair between S4C, Iris Prize and the production company, Beastly Media. BFI Flare is one of Europe’s biggest LGBTQ+ film festivals that is also a gateway to the global network of film festivals.” 

Teth will screen as part of the To Your Souls: Shorts from the UK & Ireland programme on Sunday 23 March 2025, 10:45 and Wednesday 26 March 2025, 20:50. 

Three other films by Iris Prize alumni that have been selected to screen at BFI Flare 2025:

Die Bully Die, directed by Nathan and Nick Lacey (Iris Prize 2024)

iykyk, directed by Bonita Rajpurohit (Iris Prize 2024)

Ponyboi, directed by Esteban Arango (a feature follow-up to a short screened at Iris Prize 2019)

Also screening at BFI Flare 2025 is Bisexual Crisis! directed by Lyndon Henley Hanrahan and Nora Borchgrevink, whose comedy I Hope He Doesn’t Kill Me featured at Iris 2024

BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival takes place from 19-30 March 2025 at BFI Southbank and on BFI Player.

Iris on the Move is sponsored by S4C and supported by Film Hub Wales as part of the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN), made possible by the National Lottery.

Iris Prize will return this year: Monday 13 October – Sunday 19 October 2025

Full details about Iris can be found here:  www.irisprize.org