Element Pictures claims double win at Cannes Film Festival for second year running
The company behind Poor Things and Normal People won awards for Akinola Davies Jr.'s feature debut, My Father's Shadow, and Harry Lighton's feature debut Pillion.
Davies Jr. received the Caméra d'Or Special Mention at Saturday night's Cérémonie du Palmarès for his film - the first Nigerian film in Official Selection in the festival's history - and is the first Nigerian Director to be honoured with the award.
Lighton was awarded 'Best Screenplay during last night's Un Certain Regard awards ceremony.
Hippo the Dachshund, the dog who stars in Pillon, also received a special mention, winning the 'Mutt Moment' award at the Palm Dog contest.
The news marks the fourth prestigious win in two years for Element Pictures, with Jesse Plemons winning Best Actor for Kinds Of Kindness and Rungano Nyoni winning 'Best Director' for On Becoming A Guinea Fowl at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in 2024.
My Father's Shadow is a semi-autobiographical tale set over the course of a single day in the Nigerian capital Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis and was described as "A thrillingly vital account of the moment when everything changes" by Screen Daily review.
Commenting on the award, the film's producer Rachel Dargavel said: "It's hard to express the pride I'm feeling that My Fathers Shadow has received this accolade.
"It was made with so much love and energy and with an ambition to create something that resonated on an emotional level with anyone who took the time to watch it.
"For it to have been received in this way is all at once so validating of the human spirit and all at once mind blowing - the first Nigerian film in official selection and the first Nigerian Director to be honoured with the Caméra d'Or Special Mention.
"Thank you Cannes Film Festival and the Jury for shining a light on our beautiful film, I couldn't be more proud of Akinola."
Pillion tells the story of "a timid man (Harry Melling) who is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker (Alexander Skarsgard) takes him on as his submissive".
Reacting to the Best Screenplay win, the film's producer Emma Norton notes "This is the most amazing end to a remarkable festival experience. We've all been so blown away by the reception of Pillion and this recognition for Harry's work - from the Un Certain Regard jury - is such an honour. The icing on the cake!"
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