Top film festival honours three National Lottery-backed features
Three films supported by funding made possible by National Lottery players have been honoured at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
‘My Father’s Shadow’ (cast pictured) by Akinola Davies Jr, ‘Pillion’ (cast pictured below) by Harry Lighton and ‘Urchin’ by Harris Dickinson all screened in the festival’s prestigious Un Certain Regard, a section that recognises innovative storytelling. All three films were made with the help of the BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund, a scheme launched in 2023 designed to support the UK’s independent feature film sector.
‘My Father’s Shadow’, the story of a father and his two young sons travelling through Lagos in the shadow of the 1993 military coup, received the Caméra d'Or Special Mention. The film, which was co-written by Akinola and Wale Davies, stars Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù.
Harry Lighton won Best Screenplay at the Un Certain Regard Awards for his debut feature ‘Pillion’. The film, adapted from the novella ‘Box Hill’ by Adam Mars-Jones, tells the story of a timid man (Harry Melling) swept off his feet when an enigmatic, handsome biker (Alexander Skarsgård) takes him under his wing.
Harris Dickinson's directorial debut ‘Urchin’ is a drama about a drifter who struggles to integrate into society. It stars Frank Dillane, Megan Northam and Amr Waked.
Urchin won the FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Prize and Frank Dillane won the Best Performance category at the Un Certain Regard Awards for his unforgettable portrayal of Mike.
30th May 2025
PHOTOS CREDIT: Courtesy of Darren Brade/BFI
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