Harry Lighton

British film director and screenwriter From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Harry Lighton (born 20 October 1992) is a British filmmaker. His feature directorial debut, Pillion, premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and won two British Independent Film Awards and a Gotham Independent Film Awards.

Born (1992-10-20) 20 October 1992 (age 33)
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
Yearsactive2016–present
Quick facts Born, Alma mater ...
Harry Lighton
Lighton in 2025
Born (1992-10-20) 20 October 1992 (age 33)
Alma materUniversity of Oxford
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
Years active2016–present
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Early life and education

Lighton was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire,[1] England, UK, on 20 October 1992.[2][3] He is the son of Sir Thomas Hamilton Lighton of the Lighton baronetcy.[4] Lighton has a twin brother.[3]

He was educated at Eton College, representing the school in the ISFA Cup Final in 2011. [5]

Lighton has an English literature degree from the University of Oxford.[1]

Career

Lighton began making short films whilst studying English literature at the University of Oxford.[1] His most noted short film, Wren Boys (2017), received a British Academy Film Award nomination for Best Short Film at the 71st British Academy Film Awards,[6] and a British Independent Film Award nomination for Best British Short Film at the British Independent Film Awards 2017.[7]

His feature film debut, Pillion,[8] premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival,[9] where it won the award for Best Screenplay.[10] The film was also screened at the 2025 BFI London Film Festival.[11]

Personal life

Lighton describes his sexual orientation as gay.[12] He lives in London.[13]

Filmography

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Notes
2016 Knitlab: XY Short film
Sunday Morning Coming Down
2017 Look at Me
Wren Boys
2018 Leash
2019 Pompeii
2025 Pillion Feature film
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Awards and nominations

More information Award / Festival, Date of ceremony ...
Award / Festival Date of ceremony Category Work Result Ref.
BFI London Film Festival 15 October 2017 Best Short Film Wren Boys Nominated [14][15]
UK Film Festival 26 November 2017 Best British Short Film Won [16]
British Independent Film Awards 10 December 2017 Best British Short Film Nominated [14][7][17]
Flickerfest International Short Film Festival 21 January 2018 Best International Short Film Nominated [14][15]
Sundance Film Festival 27 January 2018 Short Film Grand Jury Prize Nominated [14][15][17][18]
British Academy Film Awards 18 February 2018 Best Short Film Nominated [14][17][18][6]
Hong Kong International Film Festival 5 April 2018 Golden Firebird Award Nominated [14]
ÉCU European Independent Film Festival 6 May 2018 Best European Independent Dramatic Short Won [14][19]
Provincetown International Film Festival 17 June 2018 Best Narrative Short Won [14][20]
Fire!! Gay and Lesbian International Film Show [ca] 17 June 2018 Best Short Won [14]
Galway Film Fleadh 15 July 2018 Tiernan McBride Award for Best Fiction Short Won [14][21]
Show Me Shorts 7 October 2018 Best International Film Won [18][22][14]
Cannes Film Festival 23 May 2025 Un Certain Regard Award Pillion Nominated [23]
Un Certain Regard – Best Screenplay Won [24]
Caméra d'Or Nominated [23]
Queer Palm Nominated [25]
British Independent Film Awards 30 November 2025 Best British Independent Film Won [26]
Best Director Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director Nominated
Best Debut Screenwriter Won
Gotham Independent Film Awards 1 December 2025 Best Adapted Screenplay Won [27]
Palm Springs International Film Festival 12 January 2026 Variety's 10 Directors to Watch Won [28]
London Film Critics Circle Awards 1 February 2026 Philip French Award for Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker of the Year Won [29]
Attenborough Award for British/Irish Film of the Year Won
Directors Guild of America Awards 7 February 2026 Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Feature Debut Nominated [30]
British Academy of Film Awards 27 February 2026 Outstanding British Film Nominated [31]
Outstanding British Debut Nominated
Adapted Screenplay Nominated
Dorian Awards 3 March 2026 LGBTQ Film of the Year Won [32]
LGBTQ Screenplay of the Year Nominated
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See also

References

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