Removing the ‘Varnish’ From Pillion‘s Look

Pillion is a romantic dark comedy-drama that follows Colin (Harry Melling), a shy gay man, as he becomes involved with Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), an enigmatic biker, leading them into an intense BDSM relationship that challenges their boundaries and self-discovery.

The desire in A24’s Pillion isn’t stated outright. It’s present but unspoken and that is reflected in the film’s look — opens with a restrained, cool tone, dominated by blues and grays with a slight green cast. When warmth appears, it’s brief and uneasy.

When cinematographer Nick Morris began speaking with director Harry Lighton about the look of Pillion, the conversation started with feeling rather than structure or format. “We wanted to create something subtly romantic,” Morris says, “but crucially, the feeling is one-directional; it’s not reciprocated. The emotion had to exist, but it could not feel balanced or resolved.”

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