Pillion (film)
Updated: 12/20/2025, 3:11:42 PM Wikipedia source
Pillion is a 2025 romantic comedy drama film written and directed by Harry Lighton, based on the 2020 novel Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones. The film stars Harry Melling as a timid gay man and Alexander Skarsgård as an enigmatic biker who start a BDSM relationship. Pillion had its premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2025, where it won the section's Best Screenplay prize and the Palm Dog for Mutt Moment, alongside nominations for the Caméra d'Or and the Queer Palm. It was released in the United Kingdom by Picturehouse Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures on 28 November 2025. The film received critical acclaim, receiving several nominations and awards, including two British Independent Film Awards and a Gotham Independent Film Awards.
Infobox
Directed by
Harry Lighton
Screenplay by
Harry Lighton
Based on
Box Hillby Adam Mars-Jones
Produced by
mw- Emma Norton Lee Groombridge Ed Guiney Andrew Lowe
Starring
Harry Melling Alexander Skarsgård
Cinematography
Nick Morris
Edited by
Gareth C. Scales
Music by
Oliver Coates
Productioncompanies
BBC Film BFI Element Pictures
Distributed by
Picturehouse Entertainment Warner Bros. Pictures
Release dates
18 May 2025 (2025-05-18) (Cannes) 28 November 2025 (2025-11-28) (United Kingdom)
Running time
107 minutes
Countries
United Kingdom Ireland
Language
English
Written by
Harry Lighton
Budget
£814,000
Box office
$1,2 million
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
Award / Festival
Cannes Film Festival
Date of ceremony
23 May 2025
Category
Un Certain Regard Award
Recipient(s)
Harry Lighton
Result
Nominated
Un Certain Regard – Best Screenplay
Un Certain Regard – Best Screenplay
Award / Festival
Un Certain Regard – Best Screenplay
Date of ceremony
Won
Caméra d'Or
Caméra d'Or
Award / Festival
Caméra d'Or
Date of ceremony
Nominated
Queer Palm
Queer Palm
Award / Festival
Queer Palm
Date of ceremony
Nominated
Palm Dog – Mutt Moment
Palm Dog – Mutt Moment
Award / Festival
Palm Dog – Mutt Moment
Date of ceremony
Hippo and Rosie
Category
Won
Valladolid International Film Festival
Valladolid International Film Festival
Award / Festival
Valladolid International Film Festival
Date of ceremony
1 November 2025
Category
Golden Spike
Recipient(s)
Pillion
Result
Nominated
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award / Festival
Best Actor
Date of ceremony
Harry Melling
Category
Won
Thessaloniki Film Festival
Thessaloniki Film Festival
Award / Festival
Thessaloniki Film Festival
Date of ceremony
9 November 2025
Category
Best Actor
Recipient(s)
Won
Stockholm International Film Festival
Stockholm International Film Festival
Award / Festival
Stockholm International Film Festival
Date of ceremony
14 November 2025
Category
Stockholm Achievement Award
Recipient(s)
Alexander Skarsgård
Result
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award / Festival
Best Actor
Date of ceremony
Harry Melling
Category
Won
British Independent Film Awards
British Independent Film Awards
Award / Festival
British Independent Film Awards
Date of ceremony
30 November 2025
Category
Best British Independent Film
Recipient(s)
Harry Lighton, Lee Groombridge, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Emma Norton
Result
Won
Best Director
Best Director
Award / Festival
Best Director
Date of ceremony
Harry Lighton
Category
Nominated
Best Lead Performance
Best Lead Performance
Award / Festival
Best Lead Performance
Date of ceremony
Harry Melling
Category
Nominated
Best Supporting Performance
Best Supporting Performance
Award / Festival
Best Supporting Performance
Date of ceremony
Alexander Skarsgård
Category
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award / Festival
Best Screenplay
Date of ceremony
Harry Lighton
Category
Nominated
Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)
Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)
Award / Festival
Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)
Date of ceremony
Nominated
Best Debut Screenwriter
Best Debut Screenwriter
Award / Festival
Best Debut Screenwriter
Date of ceremony
Won
20 November 2025
20 November 2025
Award / Festival
20 November 2025
Date of ceremony
Best Costume Design
Category
Grace Snell
Recipient(s)
Won
Best Make-Up & Hair Design
Best Make-Up & Hair Design
Award / Festival
Best Make-Up & Hair Design
Date of ceremony
Diandra Ferreira
Category
Won
Best Editing
Best Editing
Award / Festival
Best Editing
Date of ceremony
Gareth C. Scales
Category
Nominated
Gotham Independent Film Awards
Gotham Independent Film Awards
Award / Festival
Gotham Independent Film Awards
Date of ceremony
1 December 2025
Category
Best Adapted Screenplay
Recipient(s)
Harry Lighton
Result
Won
Outstanding Supporting Performance
Outstanding Supporting Performance
Award / Festival
Outstanding Supporting Performance
Date of ceremony
Alexander Skarsgård
Category
Nominated
| Award / Festival | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Cannes Film Festival | 23 May 2025 | Un Certain Regard Award | Harry Lighton | Nominated | |
| Un Certain Regard – Best Screenplay | Won | ||||
| Caméra d'Or | Nominated | ||||
| Queer Palm | Nominated | ||||
| Palm Dog – Mutt Moment | Hippo and Rosie | Won | |||
| Valladolid International Film Festival | 1 November 2025 | Golden Spike | Pillion | Nominated | |
| Best Actor | Harry Melling | Won | |||
| Thessaloniki Film Festival | 9 November 2025 | Best Actor | Won | ||
| Stockholm International Film Festival | 14 November 2025 | Stockholm Achievement Award | Alexander Skarsgård | Won | |
| Best Actor | Harry Melling | Won | |||
| British Independent Film Awards | 30 November 2025 | Best British Independent Film | Harry Lighton, Lee Groombridge, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Emma Norton | Won | |
| Best Director | Harry Lighton | Nominated | |||
| Best Lead Performance | Harry Melling | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Performance | Alexander Skarsgård | Nominated | |||
| Best Screenplay | Harry Lighton | Nominated | |||
| Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director) | Nominated | ||||
| Best Debut Screenwriter | Won | ||||
| 20 November 2025 | Best Costume Design | Grace Snell | Won | ||
| Best Make-Up & Hair Design | Diandra Ferreira | Won | |||
| Best Editing | Gareth C. Scales | Nominated | |||
| Gotham Independent Film Awards | 1 December 2025 | Best Adapted Screenplay | Harry Lighton | Won | |
| Outstanding Supporting Performance | Alexander Skarsgård | Nominated |
References
- Pillionhttps://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/09D88BE8004E2CFA
- Screen Dailyhttps://www.screendaily.com/features/the-thing-with-feathers-pillion-among-key-2024-bfi-production-awards/5200173.article#
- https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt32321317/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt32321317/
- Vanity Fairhttps://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/pillion-cannes-review
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/film/news/pillion-trailer-alexander-skarsgard-1236534841/
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alexander-skarsgard-harry-melling-pillion-bdsm-awkward-sex-1236379933/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/05/pillion-review-alexander-skarsgard-harry-melling-lighton-1236393058/
- B-Side Management & Productionhttps://profile.tagmin.com/zoy7mx5us727b5fqw5590pi425ol718th24r
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2024/film/global/alexander-skarsgard-harry-melling-pillion-element-pictures-harry-lighton-1235995775/
- Cineuropahttps://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/476290/
- Cineuropahttps://cineuropa.org/en/film/477407/
- YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vVOMbJ--ZM
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/pillion-review-alexander-skarsgard-harry-melling-lgbtq-1236219700/
- Pillionhttps://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/pillion-harry-melling-alexander-skarsgard-feature-cannes-awards-insider
- PILLION - Cast Introduction - Featured biker (puppy) from the film - Question and Answershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Ec2XTMX40
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/06/jake-shears-pillion-acting-debut-sex-scene-alexander-skarsgard-1236420515/
- The Knowledgehttps://www.theknowledgeonline.com/news/filming-begins-on-pillion-with-alexander-skarsgard-and-harry-melling
- Filming in Englandhttps://www.filminginengland.co.uk/whats-been-filming-in-england-july-september-2024/
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/p/C_kc2SSiiBz/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/film/global/alexander-skarsgard-raunchier-cut-bdsm-romance-pillion-1236404243/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2024/film/global/a24-buys-pillion-alexander-skarsgard-harry-melling-1236173010/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/04/cannes-movies-2025-lineup-1236365225/
- Festival de Canneshttps://cdn.festival-cannes.com/media/uploads/2025/05/2025_cannes_horaires-web-2.pdf
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/pillion-cannes-sex-scenes-alexander-skarsgard-pedro-pascal-ovation-1236220646/
- BFI London Film Festivalhttps://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=pillion-lff25
- Picturehouseshttp://www.picturehouses.com/movie-details/000/HO00016512/pillion
- PILLION - Official Trailer - Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgårdhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTAacTUKK00
- Paste Magazinehttps://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/a24/trailer-for-a24s-queer-biker-romance-pillion-fuses-kink-and-comedy
- Instagram - SLMhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DQ-YdmEDMWn/
- Instagram - Leathermen of Irelandhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DRf_pVLCL8P/
- Pillionhttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pillion
- Pillionhttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/pillion
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/pillion-review-1236401815/
- International Cinephile Societyhttps://icsfilm.org/festivals/cannes/2025-cannes/cannes-2025-review-pillion-harry-lighton/
- Showbiz by PShttps://www.showbizbyps.com/movies/pillion
- Programmkinohttps://www.programmkino.de/filmkritiken/pillion-2/
- Template:URL=https://spectrumculture.com/2025/12/15/best-film-performances-of-2025/
- Festival de Canneshttps://www.festival-cannes.com/en/press/press-releases/the-films-of-the-official-selection-2025/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/05/un-certain-regard-the-mysterious-gaze-of-the-flamingo-1236409662/
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/queerpalm/p/DJcAN25M1Fk/?img_index=5
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/05/palm-dog-awards-2025-love-that-remains-sirat-pillion-and-amores-perros-honored-1236409607/
- Reutershttps://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/icelandic-sheepdog-named-panda-claims-palm-dogs-top-prize-cannes-2025-05-23/
- Cadena SERhttps://cadenaser.com/castillayleon/2025/07/24/avance-de-seminci-estos-son-los-n0ombres-que-competiran-por-la-espiga-de-oro-radio-valladolid/
- Cadena SERhttps://cadenaser.com/nacional/2025/11/01/espiga-de-oro-ex-aequo-para-the-mastermind-de-kelly-reichardt-y-para-la-produccion-espanola-magallanes-de-lav-diaz-cadena-ser/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/film/global/sudanese-drama-cotton-queen-wins-thessaloniki-film-festival-1236573310/
- Stockholm International Film Festivalhttps://www.stockholmfilmfestival.se/artiklar/artikel/alexander-skarsgard-tilldelas-stockholm-achievement-award-2025
- Mynewsdeskhttps://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/stockholms_filmfestival/pressreleases/here-are-the-winners-of-the-stockholm-international-film-festival-2025-3416470
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bifa-2025-nominations-british-independent-film-awards-list-1236416506/
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bifa-awards-2025-winners-list-pillion-sentimental-value-1236437853/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/11/british-independent-film-awards-craft-winners-2025-pillion-1236624572/
- Deadlinehttps://deadline.com/2025/10/2025-gotham-award-nominations-1236599967/