The Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival based in Cardiff, Wales awards the largest short film prize in the world – the prestigious £30,000 Iris Prize. It’s enough money for filmmakers to convert their shorts into full-length features like past winners like Daniel Ribeiro ‘The Way He Looks’ and Dee Rees ‘ Pariah’.
This last week Iris Prize announced their shortlist for Best British LGBT+ short film of 2019 . There are 15 films that have merited selection and though we have viewed any of them yet, there is one in particular that stands out from the crowd and that really resounded with Queerguru.
Becoming Cherrie directed by Nicky Larkin, is set in Northern Ireland which is technically part of the UK. Since Ireland split into two countries in 1921, the North (also known as Ulster) has a suffered under a violent tug of war between the fervent Catholic population who want it to be part of the South, and the right-wing protestants who firmly want to remain part of the UK.
Although in recent years the violent terrorism which killed so many people on either side has subsided, the uneasy unrest in the North is still a sparring ground for the ultra-conservative religious bigots who only want to cherry pick the parts of the UK’s legal system they want to adopt. Gay rights is not one of them, and consequently for most of the LGBT population in Northern Ireland, nothing has changed for decades. It is still the only part of the UK where same-sex marriage is still not allowed.
Becoming Cherrie tells the story of the very charismatic actor and performer Matthew Cavan, also known as Belfast drag superstar Cherrie Ontop, who like so many others has suffered from rampant homophobia. Diagnosed HIV-positive at 19, Cavan struggled to find acceptance and was kicked out of his family’s church by the Minister, whilst he was trying to come to terms with his diagnosis.
Even though Cavan’s father was supportive the community around him was not, but after a very difficult time dealing with his predicament he created his sassy alter-ego and took to the stage, and a decade on has become Belfast’s best-loved drag artist.
It gave him the courage to challenge the system like demanding the leading newspaper the Belfast Telegraph tell his story to give others hope about their own HIV status. Even when his openness about his sexuality and HIV status made him a frequent target of homophobic threats and abuse, Cavan kept to his guns, and has become a much needed LGBT role model even at his tender young age
Cavan could easily have taken the well worn path that Ulster gay men and women have been doing for decades and fly across the Irish Sea and settle in London. He chose to stay because this is home and despite the tough parts of his journey he loves it.
Letting us witness the powerful story of the intimate transformation of Matthew into Cherrie, and seeing him as a figure of resilience and reinvention, is such a sheer joy. It gives us all a tiny glimmer of hope that maybe he, and others can finally spearhead the change that the Province so desperately needs
Larkin sent us the trailer to share but sadly if you are not in Cardiff for the Iris screenings, you will need to wait a little longer until the film is released FREE on You Tube. Sign up on Becoming Cherie FaceBook page and you’ll soon find out when that is. It is so worth waiting for .
