Dublin based production powerhouse Element Pictures (POOR THINGS, NORMAL PEOPLE) will return to the Cannes Film Festival with two titles in Official Selection (Un Certain Regard). The festival, which will be held this year from May 13th to 24th, is the most prestigious film festival in the world with a highly competitive selection process.

The Element Pictures productions selected for this year are: 

  • PILLION: Based on the book Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones, directed by Harry Lighton and starring Alexander Skarsgard, Harry Melling, and shot on location in the UK.

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 and the BFI, in association with Fremantle, Picturehouse Entertainment and September Film.

  • MY FATHER’S SHADOW: Directed by Akinola Davies Jr, written by Akinola Davies Jr and Wale Davies and starring Sope Dirisu, and shot on location in Lagos, Nigeria.

A semi-autobiographical tale set over the course of a single day in the Nigerian capital Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis. The story follows a father, estranged from his two young sons, as they travel through the massive city while political unrest threatens their journey home.

MY FATHER’S SHADOW is an Element Pictures production in association with Crybaby and Fatherland Productions. It was developed & co-financed by BBC Film, and the BFI. Fremantle and Electric Theatre Collective are also partners on the project.

This follows on from last years’ festival when an unprecedented three Element Pictures titles were invited to official selection, KINDS OF KINDNESS directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, SEPTEMBER SAYS directed by Ariane Labedand ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL directed by Rungano Nyoni. Two of these won awards – Rungano Nyoni won Best Director for her film in the “Un Certain Regard” section, and Jesse Plemons won Best Actor for his role in KINDS OF KINDNESS, which was part of the Main Competition.

Previous films from Element Pictures that have won prizes at Cannes include Yorgos Lanthimos’ films THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER, which won Best Screenplay in 2016, andTHE LOBSTER, which won the Jury Prize in 2015. THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY, which Element Pictures co-produced, won the Palme D’Or in 2006.

Commenting on returning to Cannes, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, Co-CEOs of Element Pictures said: “We’re beyond thrilled to be returning to the Cannes Film Festival again this year with two wonderful new films in the Official Selection. We are so proud of Harry Lighton’s PILLION and Akinola Davies’ MY FATHER’S SHADOW and so grateful to the entire Element team and in particular to the respective producers, Emma Norton (PILLION) and Rachel Dargavel (MY FATHER’S SHADOW) for guiding these films so brilliantly.”

PILLION will be released by A24 in US, Picturehouse in the UK & Ireland, September in Benelux with a date to be confirmed. International sales will be handled by Cornerstone Film Sales.

MY FATHER’S SHADOW will be released by MUBI in the US, UK, Ireland & Turkey with a date to be confirmed. International sales will be handled by Match Factory.