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BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
BBC Film celebrates four Jury awards at Cannes Film Festival 2025
Four films backed by BBC Film premiered in Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival 2025, with all four receiving Jury recognition, including three debut features from UK-based filmmakers. The awards were as follows: The Grand Prix was awarded to SENTIMENTAL VALUE, Joachim Trier's poignant, poetic portrait of family dynamics starring Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning Akinola Davies Jnr's heartfelt father-son tale and directorial debut MY FATHER'S SHADOW, starring Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, received the Caméra d'Or Special Mention Harry Lighton's debut feature, the provocative romance PILLION starring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling, received the Un Certain Regard Best Screenplay award Frank Dillane received the Un Certain Regard Best Actor award for his magnetic performance in Harris Dickinson's feature directorial debut, URCHIN In addition to the official juries' awards, URCHIN also received the FIPRESCI prize, voted for by international film critics. Eva Yates, Director of BBC Film says of the Cannes awards: 'It has been a privilege to develop and collaborate on four exceptional films selected to screen in Cannes and we are ecstatic that all four have all been recognised by the Cannes juries this past weekend. We're thrilled to see three wildly different and highly original independent debut features from UK-based writer-directors and UK producers - MY FATHER'S SHADOW, PILLION and URCHIN - receive this recognition. And we wholeheartedly congratulate the Grand Prix winning Joachim Trier and the whole SENTIMENTAL VALUE team for this poignant, poetic portrait of family dynamics which will resonate with BBC audiences and cinemagoers worldwide and for many years to come.' About the films: Akinola Davies' MY FATHER'S SHADOW - Un Certain Regard Akinola Davies Jr's feature directorial debut stars Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (His House, Gangs of London) and is based on a script by Wale Davies and Akinola Davies Jr, whose previous collaboration on BBC Film-backed short Lizard won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2021 and was nominated for a BAFTA. MY FATHER'S SHADOW tells the story of two kid brothers, Remi and Akin who get to spend a gift of a day with their estranged father Folarin. They go on a voyage into Lagos observing the colossal city for the first time and the hoops their father must deal with to provide. All this is happening in the backdrop of a huge 1993 presidential election result which calls into question his ability to get them home. MY FATHER'S SHADOW is produced by Rachel Dargavel for Element Pictures and Funmbi Ogunbanwo for Fatherland Productions, who also serviced production on the ground. Executive Producers are Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures, Eva Yates for BBC Film and Ama Amapadu for the BFI. Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Wale Davies and Akinola Davies Jr also act as executive producers. MY FATHER'S SHADOW was developed by BBC Film and was co-financed by BBC Film and the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding). The Match Factory is handling worldwide sales. MUBI pre-bought all rights in North America, UK, Ireland, and Turkey. Harry Lighton's PILLION - Un Certain Regard PILLION is the debut feature of BAFTA-nominated writer/director Harry Lighton (Wren Boys) and stars Harry Melling (The Pale Blue Eye, The Queen's Gambit) and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies, Succession, The Northman). In PILLION a timid man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive. PILLION is an Element Pictures production financed by BBC Film, BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Picturehouse Entertainment and September Film who will handle distribution in the UK and Benelux respectively. The screenplay was developed with BBC Film and is based on Adam Mars-Jones' 'Box Hill' which was the 2019 Fitzcarraldo Editions Nobel Prize winner. Producers are Element Pictures' Emma Norton, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe together with Lee Groombridge. BBC Film's Eva Yates, Louise Ortega for the BFI, Claire Binns for Picturehouse, September Film's Pim Hermeling, Cornerstone's Alison Thompson and Mark Gooder and Alexander Skarsgård are Executive Producers. A24 have USD rights. Harris Dickinson's URCHIN - Un Certain Regard The feature debut of writer, director and acclaimed actor, Harris Dickinson who also previously made his short film 2003 with BBC Film. Written by Dickinson, the story follows Mike, a rough sleeper in London, trapped in a cycle of self-destruction as he attempts to turn his life around. URCHIN stars Frank Dillane (Harvest, The Walking Dead) as 'Mike', alongside Megan Northam, Amr Waked, Karyna Khymchuk and Shonagh Marie. The film is produced by Archie Pearch for Devisio Pictures and Scott O'Donnell for Somesuch. Developed by BBC Film, URCHIN is financed by BBC Film, BFI (awarding National Lottery funding) and Tricky Knot. Executive Producers are Eva Yates, Ama Ampadu, Alexandra Tynion and Olivia Tyson. Charades is handling international sales, Gersh and UTA Independent Film Group are co-repping the film in the US. Joachim Trier's SENTIMENTAL VALUE - In Competition Trier's sixth feature film stars Renate Reinsve who previously collaborated with Trier for The Worst Person in the World (Academy Award nominee for Best Screenplay and Best International Feature) alongside Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning. SENTIMENTAL VALUE follows actress Nora (Reinsve) and her sister Agnes (Lilleaas) as their eccentric and charismatic father, Gustav, suddenly reappears in their lives after a long absence. Once a renowned film director, Gustav now offers Nora the lead role in his new film, but working with her father is the last thing she wants. The film is produced by Maria Ekerhovd for Mer Film and Andrea Berentsen Ottmar for Eye Eye Pictures in Norway. A Norwegian, French, German, Danish, and Swedish co-production, the co-producers are MK Productions, Nathanael Karmitz and Lumen Production, Juliette Schrameck for France; Komplizen Film, Jonas Dornbach and Janine Jackowski for Germany; Zentropa, Sisse Graum and Lizette Jonjic for Denmark and Sweden; Film I Väst, Kristina Åkeson; and BBC Film, Eva Yates for the UK and Ireland. Additional support comes from Arte Grand Accord, Oslo Filmfond, and Storyline. Mk2 Films are handling international sales and NEON is handling US distribution. SENTIMENTAL VALUE is financed with partners including the Norwegian Film Institute, the Swedish Film Institute, The Danish Film Institute, Arte, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, FFA, and Eurimages. CG
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alexander Skarsgård-Harry Melling BDSM Romance Pic ‘Pillion' Spurs Eight-Minute Ovation At Cannes Premiere
Pillion, about the BDSM relationship between a gay biker and a timid parking attendant, kickstarted an exuberant eight-minute ovation from the audience that included Pedro Pascal after its premiere Sunday at the Cannes Film Festival. The kinky pic from British first-time feature writer-director Harry Lighton follows the burgeoning odd-couple pairing of the handsome and charismatic Ray (Alexander Skarsgård) and introverted but curious Colin (Harry Melling). The biker gang leader introduces Colin to his community and takes him on as his sexual submissive. More from Deadline Cannes Film Festival 2025 In Photos: Richard Linklater, Zoey Deutch, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, 'New Wave' & 'Die, My Love' Premieres 'Pillion' Review: Alexander Skarsgård Is Dom For The Holidays & Harry Melling Is Hopelessly Devoted In Steamy BDSM Romance — Cannes Film Festival MK2 Seals Worldwide Deal For Films Of Nouvelle Vague Influencer & Cinema Vérité Pioneer Jean Rouch - Cannes Market RELATED: Standing Ovations At Cannes: How We Clock Those Claps, Which Movie Holds The Record and Why The Industry Loves To Hate The Ritual In his Deadline review, Glenn Garner wrote: 'Beneath the unabashed sexual content, Lighton's debut is all romance, kicking off with a French rendition of 'I Will Follow Him,' foreshadowing the hopeless devotion Colin develops for Ray in their dom/sub relationship. … Skarsgård understood the assignment, slipping seamlessly into his role as the sexually dominant yet elusive Ray, who's fearless in communicating his every desire, but emotionally closed off to any real intimacy as the leader of a gay biker gang.' The screenplay was developed with BBC Film and is based on Adam Mars-Jones' Box Hill, which was the 2019 Fitzcarraldo Editions Nobel Prize winner. A24 picked up U.S. distribution rights to Pillion in October. It is an Element Pictures production financed by BBC Film, BFI — which awarded it National Lottery funding — in association with Fremantle, Picturehouse Entertainment and September Film; the latter two will handle distribution in the UK and Benelux, respectively. Memento will bring it to France cinemas. RELATED: Full List Of Cannes Palme d'Or Winners Through The Years: Photo Gallery Best of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? Everything We Know About Ari Aster's 'Eddington' So Far
RTÉ News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Element debuts two films at Cannes to critical acclaim
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.
Extra.ie
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Éire on the Riviera: Irish films set to shine at Cannes 2025
The Irish are taking over Cannes 2025, here's everything you need to know! Taking place from 13 to 24 May, the 78th edition of the Cannes Films Festival programme includes several Irish-backed productions, featuring a number of big names. The esteemed festival will also see some of your favourite Irish actors stun on the red carpet as the festivities well and truly get underway. The Irish are taking over Cannes 2025, here's everything you need to know! Pic:Most notably competing for the Palme d'Or this year is The History of Sound, starring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor. Directed by Oliver Hermanus, the film tells the story of two young men during World War I who embark on a journey to record the voices, music, and stories of their fellow American soldiers. This may be a US/UK co-production, however, the film also lists Mescal among its executive producers. Taking place from 13 to 24 May, the 78th edition of the Cannes Films Festival programme includes several Irish-backed productions, featuring a number of big names. Pic: Brian McEvoy Element Pictures has an enviable roster at this year's festival, starting with Pillion, starring Alexander Skarsgård and adapted from the novel by Adam Mars-Jones. The flick follows a man drawn into an unfamiliar world after falling under the spell of a magnetic biker and is backed by BBC Film and the British Film Institute. My Father's Shadow, directed by Akinola Davies Jr., will also premiere. Based on the real-life events that gripped the world, the cast includes Colm Meaney, Jim Sheridan, Vicky Krieps and Aidan Gillen. Pic: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock The film is set against the backdrop of Nigeria's 1993 election crisis and follows a father and his estranged sons as they navigate the turbulence of Lagos during political upheaval. Also featured is Learning to Breathe Under Water which was directed by Rebekah Fortune and shot in Galway. The film stars Rory Kinnear, Academy Award nominee Maria Bakalova, and newcomer Ezra Carlisle and centers on an imaginative eight-year-old boy who constructs a fantasy world to better understand his grief. The esteemed festival will also see some of your favourite Irish actors stun on the red carpet as the festivities well and truly get underway. Pic: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for US-Ireland Alliance The festival will also host a special screening of Bono: Stories of Surrender, a documentary directed by Andrew Dominik, offering an intimate portrait of the U2 frontman. Another notable mention is Re-Creation follows a fictitious trial where twelve members of a jury must decide whether British journalist Ian Bailey is guilty of the murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan Du Plantier in 1996. Based on the real-life events that gripped the world, the cast includes Colm Meaney, Jim Sheridan, Vicky Krieps and Aidan Gillen. The award winning Cartoon Saloon will also present a first look at their next animated film Julián on Sunday 18 May at 10am in Palais K as part of the Annecy Animation Showcase. Julián is the feature debut of director Louise Bagnall, and is supported by Screen Ireland.
RTÉ News
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Irish films to feature at 2025 Cannes Film Festival
Irish cinema will have a notable presence at this year's Cannes Film Festival, with Dublin-based Element Pictures returning to the Official Selection with two titles - Pillion and My Father's Shadow - while Galway-shot Learning to Breathe Under Water will feature in the Great 8 showcase for emerging talent. Taking place from 13 to 24 May, Cannes remains the most prestigious film festival in the global calendar, with a highly selective programme. The inclusion of several Irish-backed productions highlights continued international interest in work coming from Ireland. Element Pictures' Pillion, starring Alexander Skarsgård and based on the novel by Adam Mars-Jones, is described as the story of a timid man who is swept into a new world when he falls under the spell of a charismatic biker. The film is financed by BBC Film and the BFI. Also in the Official Selection is My Father's Shadow, directed by Akinola Davies Jr. Set during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, it follows a father and his estranged sons navigating Lagos during a period of political unrest. The film is a co-production with Crybaby and Fatherland Productions. In addition, Learning to Breathe Under Water has been selected for the Great 8 showcase - an industry programme that presents emerging UK and Irish films to international buyers and festival programmers. Directed by Rebekah Fortune, the Galway-made feature stars Rory Kinnear, Academy Award nominee Maria Bakalova, and newcomer Ezra Carlisle. The story centres on an imaginative eight-year-old boy who builds a world of his own to make sense of his grief and the mysteries of adult life. Element Pictures has a long-standing relationship with the Cannes Film Festival, having premiered titles such as The Wind That Shakes the Barley, which won the Palme d'Or in 2006, and more recently Kinds of Kindness, which earned Jesse Plemons the Best Actor award in 2024. This year's Cannes Film Festival will also feature a special screening of Bono: Stories of Surrender, a documentary by director Andrew Dominik focusing on the U2 frontman. The 2025 festival includes 21 films in the main competition, with the Palme d'Or to be awarded by a jury led by Juliette Binoche and including Halle Berry and Succession star Jeremy Strong.
