A24’s BDSM romantic comedy-drama Pillion won big at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs), taking home a total of four awards.

Based on Box Hill, the 2020 novel by Adam Mars-Jones, Pillion follows Colin, a shy young man who finds himself drawn to Ray, the enigmatic leader of a queer motorbike club. What begins as a charged encounter in a bar evolves into a relationship of dominance and submission, trust and vulnerability.

As Ray takes Colin under his wing (and over his knee), the film explores the complexities of kink, love, and consent. Shot in London, the film stars Harry Melling as Colin and Alexander Skarsgard as Ray.

Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival to a seven-minute standing ovation, Pillion stirred critical and audience interest. Packed with undeniable sexual energy and explicit scenes, the film has been praised for its humour, emotional honesty, and refusal to rely on reductive tropes. Early reviews have stressed that this is far from a “gay Fifty Shades.”

Pillion was nominated for a total of 10 BIFAs and took home four awards at the ceremony on November 30. The movie won Best British Independent Film, Best Debut Screenwriter for director Harry Lighton, Best Costume for Grace Snell and Best Hair and Make Up for Diandra Ferreira.

The film was produced and developed by Dublin-based company Element Pictures, which also worked on award-winning film My Father’s Shadow, which won best director.

Speaking about the films’ wins, Co-CEOs and founders of Element Pictures, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, said: “What a tribute to Harry Lighton, Akinola Davis Jnr, and the incredibly talented cast and crew of both films.

“These awards are a recognition of the creativity and hard work that went into bringing these stories to life.

“We are also immensely grateful to our financiers and partners, and the team here at Element Pictures, particularly Emma Norton, who produced on Pillion, and Rachel Dargavel, who produced on My Father’s Shadow.”