Pillion' stars, director enjoyed their walk on the wild side

"Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgard and director/screenwriter Harry Lighton noticed something unique and later rewarding going on while they zipped across the globe to promote the BDSM romance Pillion, now playing in theaters. There was a celebratory vibe to the screenings with eager attendees clad, or semi-clad, in leather, chaps and masks so they could watch a rare, kinky cinematic love story about two gay men in a dom-sub relationship."

"We set out to make a film which would serve the leather community front and center, said Lighton, who attended the screening as well as an afterparty held at the Bay Area's iconic The Stud bar. That goal gets reflected in the casting of a few members from a U.K. gay motorcycle club in the film. The writer/director recalls being nervous when screening the film for the bikers. They had a real pride in it instantly, he said. I was hoping that would translate."

"And at every screening we go to I see someone in a pup mask, guys in leather. It feels like an honor that they're come to watch but they're also turning it into an event that's creating, I guess, like a communal experience. I think it's kind of a great time to celebrate the margins of even a marginal culture like the margins of gay culture, he added. For something to be given prominence and being allowed cause of celebration."

Pillion is a raw, unrated BDSM romance about two gay men in a dom-sub relationship, starring Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgard and directed by Harry Lighton. Screenings have attracted celebratory audiences wearing leather, chaps, masks and pup gear, creating communal, event-like responses. Lighton prioritized serving the leather community, casting members of a U.K. gay motorcycle club and hosting screenings and an afterparty at San Francisco's Castro Theatre and The Stud. The film's feature debut has garnered strong reviews, elicited pride from community members who saw themselves represented, and turned niche culture into a public occasion of celebration.

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