On March 26, perhaps the most provocative film of this spring will be released in Ukrainian cinemas – the queer rom-com “Pillion” from the cult studio A24. The main role is played by the charismatic Alexander Skarsgård. We tell you why the film is worth paying attention to.
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The plot of “Pillion” centers on a shy loner, Colin (Harry Melling), whose life changes after a chance meeting with Ray (Alexander Skarsgard), a charismatic motorcycle club leader and a supporter of strict BDSM aesthetics. Becoming Ray's “pillion”, Colin finds himself in a world where tenderness borders on rigidity, and submission becomes a form of trust. It is a journey deep into queer and kink subculture in search of an answer to the question – is it possible to belong completely to another without losing yourself?
The term “pillion” in British biker slang refers to the passenger seat of a motorcycle – and the person who sits on it. However, in the kink community, the word has an additional meaning – the submissive partner in a BDSM relationship (someone who voluntarily gives up control of themselves to their partner).
“Pillion” has already won acclaim for its candid exploration of identity, romance, and the complex dynamics of relationships.
Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling: brilliant acting and chemistry
The success of “Pillion” rests on the incredible synergy of two actors who at first glance seem to be complete opposites – both physically and in their roles. Director Harry Leighton deliberately chose such an odd couple to challenge stereotypes about queer unions. Alexander Skarsgård, whom we are used to seeing in images of masculine alpha heroes, brings unexpected intellectual depth to the role of Ray and, in the words of the director, “the perfect appearance of a movie star combined with a bizarre danger.” Alongside him, Harry Melling creates a magnetic image of Colin – vulnerable, but incredibly brave in his exploration of new territories of desire. This is an asymmetrical relationship, where the passivity of one partner is as conscious and subjective a position as the determination of the other.
The actors worked very carefully with the theme of consent and corporeality. “Pillion” does not exploit sex, but uses it as a storytelling tool. Harry Melling emphasizes that his character is not a victim, but a sincere and enthusiastic participant in the process: “I wanted to convey this excitement, the thrill that he gets from what is happening.” In turn, Skarsgård emphasizes that the frank scenes are not a pointless demonstration of nudity, because each of them moves the plot forward. The actor admits that working with Melling was full of surprises: “Even though my character was dominant, I never knew exactly how he would react… it gave me a huge space to play.” Such openness to improvisation allowed the actors to create a real “live” chemistry on screen, where intimacy is born not from mechanical movements, but from deep psychological tension and mutual trust.
Debutant Harry Leighton: A compelling directorial vision
Harry Leighton is a name worth remembering for anyone who appreciates intelligent and daring cinema. The British director, whose short Wren Boys (2017) has already conquered Sundance and received a BAFTA nomination, has approached his feature debut with surprising maturity. Adapting Adam Mars-Jones' novel Box Hill, Leighton has gone through a long journey of creative exploration – from scripts about Ancient Rome to versions on cruise ships – to finally return to an honest and grounded story in the scenery of modern Britain (although the book is set in the 1970s, while the film is set in the present day).
The director has abandoned the role of a “tour guide” who chews over the rules of the biker queer BDSM subculture for the viewer. As TheWrap notes, “Leighton doesn't try to explain everything. He immerses you in this world and organically resolves unclear moments only when it is important for the characters.” This approach demonstrates a deep respect for the audience and a refusal to exoticize the queer experience.
Engaging Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club: The Authenticity of Queer and Kink Subcultures
For Harry Layton, it was crucial to abandon the superficial, “glossy” depiction of the BDSM community that mainstream cinema often commits. Instead of exploiting fetish aesthetics for the sake of shocking, he turned to the original source – the Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club (GBMCC), the oldest and largest LGBT+ motorcycle club in Europe. Layton personally traveled to Birmingham to spend a weekend as a “pillionaire” (passenger), exploring the community's life and values. As the director himself recalls, “that weekend was incredible… The participants were incredibly generous: not only did they let me ride on the back of a motorcycle, but they also shared their stories, telling what they would or would not like to see in the film.” This participatory approach allowed the team to avoid the stereotypical view of bikers as exclusively “macho” aggressors, instead showing a living slice of a specific subculture where leather clothing and motorcycles are means of self-expression and building a safe space for their own.
The authenticity of “Pillion” rests on the people who brought their real-life experiences to the frame. Leighton took a bold step: instead of teaching professional actors how to do biker tricks, he brought in real members of the GBMCC kink community to advise the group on every detail – from suitable motorcycle models to the intricacies of BDSM etiquette and the right choice of lubricants.
“When you tell a story about a subculture, there's always a risk of painting everything in too rosy tones,” adds Alexander Skarsgård. “But what I like about this work is how confidently it shows everything as it is, without embellishment. It's funny, it's sexy, and you believe in the characters. We never tried to cater to a heterosexual audience, but I also think my mother would enjoy this film. We didn't make it specifically for her, but she could enjoy it.”
A deep exploration of identity and emotions
“Pillion” is a subtle deconstruction of the process of self-discovery through acceptance of one's own desires. Harry Layton consciously departed from the rigidity of the literary source, where the characters' relationships bordered on Stockholm syndrome. Instead, in the film we see a story about “the courage of the novice.” Colin is not a passive victim of circumstances: he consciously goes on an experiment, entering into a relationship with Ray – and not knowing where it will lead him. “The most exciting thing for me was Colin's courage to do everything for the first time… it was important for me to show that he is a voluntary participant who gets real drive and delight from this process,” explains Melling. This is a fundamental shift in focus: the tendency to submissiveness here appears not as a trauma, but as a space for personal growth and finding one's own limits.
At the same time, the film offers a complex portrait of masculinity through the image of Ray. Leighton has abandoned the usual film clichés that explain “non-standard” behavior with childhood trauma. Ray is who he is simply because it is his true nature, and not the result of past adversity. The director and Alexander Skarsgård worked to ensure that glimpses of vulnerability appeared through the armor of the “macho biker”, without giving the viewer simple answers. “I wanted the audience to feel that behind this performance of dominance there is complex psychological work,” says Leighton. In this intellectual “cocktail” of humor, pain and frankness, the film poses a fundamental question: how to preserve one's identity while dissolving into a partner, and whether voluntary submission can become a path to true inner strength.
Cannes Award for Best Screenplay
The triumphant path of “Pillion” began last year with the prestigious “Un Certain Regard” program of the Cannes Film Festival, where the film not only won the prize for best screenplay, but also won the hearts of the jury with its sincerity. Today, the 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes only confirms: Harry Leighton managed to create something much more than a niche film.
The Hollywood Reporter singles out this film as a real breakthrough for Harry Melling, comparing his character to “a chick learning to fly for the first time”, gradually realizing its own power. There is nothing superfluous in “Pillion” – it is a dynamic story of how two diametrically opposed men find a common language, challenging their social roles. As aptly summarized in The Times, “Leighton managed to find the perfect balance between disturbing and funny, tender and sad.”
This is a film not to be missed on the big screen, because “Pillion” is a rare example of a visually flawless and emotionally extreme experience that demands full involvement in today's cinema. It is a story that purrs like the engine of an expensive bike, and makes us wonder: isn't it time for us to move from the passenger seat of our own lives to the steering wheel of our true desires?