Somewhere between the coming-of-age sexual narrative and the romantic drama, Harry Lighton’s first feature film, in cinemas this Wednesday March 4, seduces with a plunge into the world of gay BDSM among motorcycle and leather enthusiasts.
Having directed several short films, Harry Lighton marks his thirties with his first feature-length project guaranteed to surprise, even educate, more than one. In theaters this Wednesday, March 4, Pillion depicts the decisive encounter between Colin, a likable young man with a routine, uneventful daily life, and Ray, the taciturn, yet mesmerizing leader of a group of gay bikers. As moments are spent together, the latter will train his junior in submission, opening to him the doors of a BDSM world of which he had no idea existed.
“It’s a film that will be perceived as provocative only for those who find it provocative to explicitly show gay sexuality,” says the young British director, who for this project surrounded himself with real gay motorcyclists – present in the film in supporting roles. “Many films have tried to speak about BDSM with irony or with a severity that takes away all the fun and tenderness that are part of this community. It was necessary for Colin to find joy in it and for the audience to feel it as well.”
Showing the Truth, Fighting Prejudice
Impeccably performed by Harry Melling (Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter saga), the novice Colin embarks on the discovery, scene after scene, of his new kinks. Or Pillion stands in stark contrast to Fifty Shades of Grey, opting for a raw and not particularly erotic vision of the sexual relations between the two protagonists – and this despite the obvious sex appeal of Alexander Skarsgård, unforgettable Eric in True Blood, in the role of Ray.
“My intention was less to render the story sexy than to explore how one person’s desire can emerge and be shaped when they come into contact with another person and their mutual desires clash,” explains Harry Lighton. “There are exciting elements in the film, but I don’t dwell on erotic aspects as in other films. No close-up shots of hands gripping hard or that kind of detail. I wanted it to feel authentic, without gloss.”
Although the young filmmaker insists he has settled for a character study, it is hard not to see a charming message, barely hidden in a line: in a key scene of the film, Ray is invited to dinner at Colin’s parents’ home. In front of Colin’s mother, worried about their dom-sub dynamic, the biker bluntly tells her: “Just because it makes you uncomfortable doesn’t mean it’s not good for your son. That’s an outdated way of thinking.” And there you go, closed-minded folks!
cinéma | film | culture | Cannes Film Festival
