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Rhifyn 1201 Issue 1201
14 October 2024
14 Hydref 2024
gair rhydd Cardiff University’s Student Paper | Established 1972
Welcome Back! Have a Great Autumn Semester! Croeso nôl! Mwynhewch semester yr Hydref!
THE IRIS PRIZE
Source: The Iris Prize
Y Gymraeg ar Lwyfan Brydeinig: Adolygiad o Lost Boys and Fairies Hannah Williams Pennaeth Taf-od
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efais gyfle dros wyliau’r haf i wylio llwyth o raglenni sydd wedi bod ar fy rhestr wylio ers tro. Wrth ystyried y rhaglenni hyn oll, does dim amheuaeth mai rhaglen y BBC Lost Boys and Fairies, sy’n dod ar frig fy argymhellion i...
Er mwyn darllen y stori gyfan, trowch i dudalen 7
Earth has a ‘Mini Moon’ in Orbit for Autumn Hannah Prince Science Editor
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his autumn, planet Earth has temporarily gained a second ‘moon’ according to scientists. Whilst it won’t be around for long, Earth’s gravitational pull has attracted a small asteroid into its orbit, making it a second moon for a couple of months from the end of September. Unfortunately, due to its small dimensions, it won’t be visible to the naked eye and will only be able to be seen with a professional telescope...
An Interview with the Winner of The Iris Prize Gemma Willmott Review Editor
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he Iris Prize is the largest LGBTQ+ short film prize in the world. Based in Cardiff, The Iris Prize awards £30,000 to the winner to make another LGBTQ+ film shot in Wales, which this year is awarded to Dima Hamdan, director of Blood Like Water. In the film, protagonist Shadi and his family are faced with an impossible decision: whether to collaborate with the Israeli police or a gay sexual blackmail video of Shadi will be sent to their community. In 14 minutes and 24 seconds, Hamdan explores the complexities of loyalty, family relationships, and the understanding she shares for Palestinian families facing this horrible reality. I had the pleasure of speaking with her about all things Blood Like Water this week while interning with the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival.
How do you hope that Blood Like Water will resonate with audi-
ences? Particularly with audiences of different backgrounds than yourself?
To be honest, when I did the film, I had my audience in mind. You know, I was thinking about a Palestinian audience, […] your first audience always must be your local audience. If it resonates with them, it resonates with the world. I’ve seen so many times where films might be lacking in sincerity, and that’s because they’re contrived, they’re manufactured for a Western audience or a non-local audience. So, a starting point always is my people in Palestine. Because, you know Blood Like Water is unlike any other film that I’ve done in the past, it is about tackling an issue. You know, the fact that this is based on true stories: gay Palestinian men are very vulnerable, and if they’re vulnerable, the entire society is vulnerable because they’re so easy to recruit. I wanted to talk about that with a local audience, that was my starting point. […]
I didn’t set out to make an LGBTQ+ film, I wanted to make a film about choice. About the options that a family like Shadi’s has. It just happened to be that, in real life, this issue is the most difficult. I wasn’t sure if I qualified as an LGBT film because, as an ally of the community but not from the community, and the question of representation, you’re never sure if [those are] the criteria. My friends told me: “No, it’s a very important thing, you have to show this on platforms". Especially because there’s always this perception that Israel and Tel Aviv are the gay capitals of the world, the most tolerant place, gay pride in Israel is the most important event of the year, and people always celebrate that part. What they don’t realise is that they’re oppressing the gay community in Palestine, and to celebrate gay pride in Tel Aviv is pinkwashing the occupation. So, this film must be seen by the community worldwide. So, I’m very excited to be at Iris.
To read the full story, turn to page 14
To read the full story, turn to page 20
Former Cardiff University Lecturer Convicted of Kissing 15-Year-Old Girl Dilichi Dieobi Head of News
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former Cardiff University lecturer has recently been convicted of having inappropriate relations with a minor and has confessed to kissing a 15-year-old girl. His wife then contacted the police, calling him a “sexual predator and a paedophile”. He admitted that he had met the young girl online and groomed her. Steven Stanley, 46, was at the time a lecturer at Cardiff University in the School of Social Sciences...
To read the full story, turn to page 5