Leather, longing, and a love story like no other — PILLION roars into theaters this February, pairing Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling in a fearless exploration of power, intimacy, and emotional vulnerability. Written and directed by Harry Lighton, the film has been described as a “love and leather dom-com” — a radical fusion of BDSM subculture, British wit, and queer tenderness.
After its acclaimed premiere at Cannes, where it earned a standing ovation, PILLION quickly became one of the most talked-about films of the year. Variety called it “a wickedly tender ride through the contradictions of desire,” while OUT Magazine hailed it as “the queer cinematic moment we’ve been waiting for.”
A Story About Control — and Connection
Based on Adam Mars-Jones’ 2020 novel Box Hill: A Story of Low Self-Esteem, PILLION follows Colin (Harry Melling), a timid suburban man whose quiet life is upended after a chance encounter with Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), a leather-clad biker who introduces him to a world of domination, discipline, and devotion.
What begins as curiosity soon spirals into obsession, blurring the lines between love and control, pleasure and submission. Yet, beneath its fetishistic surface, PILLION reveals something unexpectedly tender — a story about two men searching for trust, belonging, and the freedom to be seen.
Harry Lighton’s Bold Vision
For writer-director Harry Lighton, PILLION marks a fearless debut feature that refuses to separate comedy from kink or vulnerability from power. In interviews, Lighton has said he wanted to challenge the clichés surrounding leather culture — to move beyond stereotypes of danger or depravity and instead show the humanity, humor, and emotional truth within queer relationships built on consent and care.
His camera lingers not on shock value, but on texture: gloved hands, mirrored chrome, the flicker of neon on skin.
The Performances: Power Meets Fragility
Skarsgård, long celebrated for his brooding magnetism, brings a commanding physicality to Ray, balancing menace and melancholy. Meanwhile, Melling delivers one of his most vulnerable performances to date, embodying Colin’s transformation with a quiet bravery that grounds the film’s intensity.
Their chemistry is electric yet uneasy — equal parts erotic and emotional. “We wanted the sex scenes to feel real, clumsy, sometimes even funny,” Skarsgård said in a recent interview. “Because that’s what intimacy really is — it’s not perfect, it’s human.”
Style, Symbolism, and Sensation
Visually, PILLION is as striking as its subject matter. The costume design turns leather into a form of narrative armor — sleek, sensual, and expressive. Every frame feels deliberate, every shadow charged.
During the film’s press tour, Skarsgård leaned into the aesthetic, appearing in sculpted leather looks and thigh-high Loewe boots — a cheeky echo of his on-screen alter ego.
A Cultural Moment for Queer Cinema
Beyond its provocative imagery, PILLION arrives at a pivotal time for queer storytelling. In a film landscape often hesitant to explore kink or power exchange with nuance, Lighton’s work feels both transgressive and tender. It embraces discomfort, reframes masculinity, and offers a rare depiction of queer intimacy that isn’t sanitized for mainstream consumption.
As one critic put it, PILLION is “less about submission and more about surrender — to desire, to love, and to one’s truest self.”
Whether it’s the scent of leather, the hum of an engine, or the quiet moment when two men simply see each other, PILLION captures the complexity of connection in all its messy, magnetic beauty.
The film opens in theaters this February 2026, distributed by A24, inviting audiences to take the ride — if they dare.
