Dublin and London-based production company Element Pictures premiered two directorial debuts yesterday at the Cannes Film Festival in Official Selection (Un Certain Regard) - Pillion and My Father's Shadow.
Both films received strong critical praise and have been described as standout titles mid-way through the festival.
Pillion, based on the novel Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones, tells the story of a shy man, played by Harry Melling, who is drawn into a submissive relationship with a charismatic biker, played by Alexander Skarsgård.
Vanity Fair called it "a disarmingly poignant drama of discovery", while The Guardian awarded it four stars, describing it as "brilliant" and "what Fifty Shades of Grey could have been".
Producer Emma Norton said: "The reception to Pillion is such a testament to Harry Lighton's wonderful warmth and intellect. There was so much laughter and emotion in the room, and we’re thrilled that Pillion has been embraced by the critics and Cannes audience."
My Father’s Shadow, the first Nigerian film ever to premiere at Cannes, is a semi-autobiographical drama set in Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis. Screen Daily described it as "a thrillingly vital account of the moment when everything changes", while Deadline called it "a moving universal story".
Producer Rachel Dargavel said: "Akinoa and Wale have created a beautiful, poetic evocation of fatherhood set against political turmoil in ’90s Lagos. We are also so proud to be involved with the first Nigerian film in Official Selection."
Pillion is an Element Pictures production financed by BBC Film and the BFI, in association with Fremantle, Picturehouse Entertainment and September Film. It will be released by A24 in the US, Picturehouse in the UK and Ireland, and in September in Benelux.
My Father’s Shadow is an Element Pictures production in association with Crybaby and Fatherland Productions. It was developed and co-financed by BBC Film and the BFI.
Both films will be released internationally later in 2025 and early 2026.
