Iris is talking about all things queer film this Pride month, championing the incredible creatives both on and off-screen. Over the series, Damian catches up and speaks with filmmakers covering aspects such as authentic casting and representation on screen, the portrayal of queer youth and the dramatising of true queer stories.

We asked Damian some questions about his latest podcast project…

Congratulations on your new hosting role! Is it fair to say you have the podcasting bug now?

Yes, absolutely. Podcasts allow for much deeper conversations, which other traditional forms of journalism don’t. In Iris’s case it was a real opportunity to hear from those working behind the scenes in film and the work that goes into it.

What drew you to this project?

I love film and a big part of my work is amplifying the voices of the LGBTQ+ community and celebrating our culture, so it was a no brainer really! I also found it really interesting that the focus was those working behind the scenes. Often when we think of film we think of those on screen, the actors. This delves deeper and looks at the purpose and motive behind the film and the process which lead to it being developed. It was also an opportunity to discuss and hear from different perspectives of the LGBTQ+ community. For instance, in Episode 1 we discuss the old age question ‘should queer characters be played by queer actors?’ and often when we see this in the press it is told through a straight lens and blown up out of proportion. We set the record straight!

Why do you think this podcast is a good companion to the Iris Prize Festival?

The Iris Prize is the world’s largest short film prize and the October festival in Cardiff (this will be the 17th) continues to be one of Europe’s friendliest gatherings of people who love watching movies. The Iris Prize Podcast, now in its 3rd year, is a great way for the festival to tap into the filmmakers, who we consider family, to share ideas and support the next generation of filmmakers. It’s insightful hearing from the different perspectives of those working in the film industry making queer film, but it’s also really educational. The work that goes into making these films is no mean feat.

You cover a different topic each episode – was there one topic that you were particularly surprised by what you found out?

I am documentary obsessed, so Episode 2 was a biggie for me. We chatted to two documentary makers and the young audiences commissioner from S4C, and really honed in on the process and whether documentaries should have fair representation or can they have a skewed bias. This was particularly topical as we recorded the episode just as Channel 4 announced their documentary Gender Wars with Kathleen Stock.

Episode 4 also focuses on Queer Youth and guess what listeners, we actually spoke to queer young people to find out how they felt about how they are represented on screen. Not adults, telling us how they should be portrayed but actual young people. It’s a good ‘un.

This Pride month, can you recommend a podcast aside from your own that we should all listen to?

OMG where do I even start, there are so many good ones, can I say two? There is Gender Reveal, which is so insightful and Queer Roots and Routes, which is made by collective We Are Queer, and is queer storytelling at its best!

Listen to The Iris Prize Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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Comedian Suzi Ruffell is no stranger to the podcast world; her show Like Minded Friends with co-host and friend Tom Allen has proved very popular and funny, often talking about the strangest topics.

Suzi has now released a new podcast called Out with Suzi Ruffell with the intention of speaking to inspirational figures from the LGBTQ+ community. Still in its first season, Suzi has already hosted some emotional conversations with truly fascinating guests, and she had a clear idea from the outset of what she wanted to create.

I really wanted to create a podcast that had a hopeful and positive message about being queer. There is a long tradition in the LGBT+ community of people sharing their coming out story, I thought a podcast would be a great way to share those stories and celebrate the guests journeys from realising they were different to finding their place in the world. I noticed there wasn’t anything quite like what I wanted to do so I just went for it. It was probably only about two months from first speaking to the team at Keep It Light Productions before the first episode came out.

Not only has the LGBTQ+ audience responded well, but Suzi is keen to point out that all ears have turned towards the podcast and its engaging chats.

I’ve loved creating this show and the listener reaction has been brilliant, part of the show is sharing audience correspondence and I have been blown away by how many people have got in touch. It has also reached beyond the queer community and I have received so many emails from straight people who have loved and been inspired by the guests on the show.

Like many podcasters, Suzi has had some personal thrills in producing the series, and she’s been shown wonderful hospitality too…

I have been so lucky with guests, an Oscar winner, a Bafta winner, notable broadcasters, writers, comedians, activists, and a Baroness Pretty impressive for series one. I can’t pick a favourite, they were all brilliant and special. The first episode I recorded was Dustin Lance Black, he won an Oscar for the film Milk, which is one of my favourite films. Dustin is also an activist who has always fought for the rights of the oppressed. Spending an hour listening to him and his story confirmed to me we were making something pretty special. Also the amount of beautiful listener stories we have received and folk telling me what the podcast means to them has been very humbling. I just want to keep creating a show that is thoughtful and funny and that people enjoy. I already have the beginnings of a very exciting line up for series 2.

Suzi would like to raise awareness to akt, a charity that supports young people from the LGBTQ+ community in the UK who experience homelessness or hostile living environments, lending support via safe homes and employment, education or training, not to mention a welcoming and open environment that celebrates LGBTQ+ identities.

Out with Suzie Ruffle is now in it’s third season. You can listen now on ACAST, SPOTIFY or your favourite podcast app.

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Now we’re halfway through Pride month, we thought we’d share their recommendations of the best shows available from the LGBTQ+ community right now…

TRANS 20:20s

Created by writer and filmmaker Juliet Jacques, Trans 20:20s takes a look at what it’s like to be a twenty-something trans, non-binary or gender diverse person in the year 2020. Released at the back end of the year, this podcast, which is available on Soundcloud, allows for an insight into the human experience of these marginalized individuals. Each interview offers new perspectives on government legislation, media representation, and possibly the largest topic of the year, lockdown, and how each of these things has and does affect them and others within our community. The project was commissioned by Studio Voltaire in partnership with Gendered Intelligence as part of Desperate Living C-19.

BUSY BEING BLACK

Josh Rivers sits at the helm of this podcast, with an aim of exploring how to make the most of queer Black life. There’s a richness of conversation featuring the likes of Lady Phyll, Jeffery Williams, Travis Alabanza and countless others. Last year, with funding from the European Cultural Foundation, Busy Being Black presented a series of conversations exploring queer Black solidarity across Europe during the Covid-19 crisis, and featured first-listens to a new multimedia  Anthology/Appendix’ series by Isaiah Lopaz, which explores themes of migration, faith and belonging.

BITTEN PEACH POD

Hosted by non-binary writer and director, ShayShay, Bitten Peach Pod is the queer Asian talk show that asks ‘real life’ Queer Asians the dreaded question… “where are you really from?” which results in some heartwarming and much-needed conversations. ShayShay has a beautiful energy that works perfectly as they speak to a rich variety of guests about their lives, their culture, their art and their Asian icons. It’s supported by gender-diverse, Pan-Asian artist collective, The Bitten Peach, who put on gag-worthy shows in queer venues across London – so be sure to check them out!

CALL ME MOTHER

Journalist and author of upcoming book ‘The Transgender Issue’, Shon Faye, hosts this beautiful series from Novel, talking to unsung and lesser-heard older LGBTQ+ trailblazers. We don’t hear from our LGBTQ+ elders enough in the podcast world, and this series seeks to change that, with guests including performance artist and gender theorist, Kate Bornstein, sexual health and HIV activist, Marc Thompson and actor-politician-activist, Michael Cashman to name a few. Episodes are all under 30 minutes making them easily digestible, and you’ll come away feeling educated, empowered and (if it fits!) grateful to be queer. Listen now >>

BOTTOMING

Ok, we know we’re being cheeky, but we couldn’t list our favourite LGTBQ+ podcasts without sharing our own audio child. Bottoming is the LGBTQ+ mental health podcast, discussing rock bottoming and beyond, not sex. Birthed out of our own troubles with mental health, we wanted to open up the conversation to the rest of the community and further afield, to normalise healthy discussions about our mental states. Released fortnightly, we interview guests about their mental health journeys, reflect on our own, and hope to offer practical advice related to reaching out for support. After this year, we all need it. You’re doing amazing sweetie.

Notable mentions:

SOME FAMILIES

TWO TWOS PODCAST

FLUID

UNERASED: THE HISTORY OF CONVERSION THERAPY IN AMERICA

THE LOG BOOKS

TWO SCOOPS

The post POD IS LOVE // 11 of the best LGBTQ+ podcasts for Pride Month appeared first on POD BIBLE.