Cannes Festival Gets Kinky: ‘Pillion’ Set to Take Audiences for a Ride

The 78th Cannes Film Festival is about to get a whole lot steamier, thanks to Harry Lighton. Lighton’s directorial debut, “Pillion,” is set to premiere in the Un Certain Regard section. The film, which is based on Adam Mars-Jones’s novel “Box Hill,” will deep into the world of queer biker subculture.

Harry Melling stars as Colin, a reserved young man whose life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Ray, portrayed by Alexander Skarsgård, the charismatic leader of a biker gang. As Colin becomes immersed in Ray’s world, he confronts questions about love and self-discovery.

“Pillion” will be an intense gay love story.

The Un Certain Regard section at Cannes highlights innovative and daring works, and “Pillion” perfectly fits into that category. The story follows Colin and Ray’s charged romance, filled with raw, exploratory moments. Ray’s sexual awakening begins after a chance encounter with Colin, set against the backdrop of the 1970s gay cruising scene. A24 has scooped up U.S. distribution rights, so American audiences can expect a release stateside soon.

Now, Lighton is bringing the story to the big screen. Skarsgård is no stranger to portraying queer characters, as he rose to fame playing Eric on HBO’s “True Blood.” Skarsgård previously opened up about playing the bisexual vampire, calling the experience “liberating.” “It was just one of the most profound experiences ever. Just liberating,” he told Pride Source. “Even though there’s sh*t loads of nudity on the show, it never felt gratuitous.”

Skarsgård also played a transvestite in 2006’s “Kill Your Darlings,” and later took his love for the queer community to the next level. In 2015, he went in full drag to pay homage to Farrah Fawcett during the premiere of “Diary of a Teenage Girl.” “I loved it. It was so much fun,” Skarsgård told the outlet. “Everyone was planning their outfits and talking about these crazy drag outfits they were gonna come in with. I was sitting there with my grey suit and I just felt like, “F***ing hell, this is so boring; can I play as well?”

The 2025 Cannes Film Festival is packed with LGBTQIA+ movies.

“Pillion” joins a stacked lineup alongside Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut “Eleanor the Great” and Harris Dickinson’s “Urchin.” Additionally, several LGBQTIA+ films are premiering at the event.

Oliver Hermanus brings the vibes with “The History of Sound,” a captivating tale set in post-World War I New England. Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor star as two men who travel the countryside recording folk songs, all while their friendship blooms into something deeper.

Julia Ducournau, who snagged the Palme d’Or with “Titane,” comes back swinging with “Alpha” — a film that tackles the AIDS epidemic head-on. And while Ducournau is keeping plot details under wraps, her reputation hints at an unfiltered, no-holds-barred dive into this pivotal chapter of queer history.

As Cannes rolls out from May 13 to 24, expect this year’s lineup to serve cinema that entertains, challenges, and celebrates the full rainbow of queer experience.

Which Cannes Festival film are you excited to see when it becomes available in the U.S.? Comment below!

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