Antony Hickling (born 8 November 1975) is an English independent filmmaker, actor, writer, voiceover artist, and professor.
Biography Antony Hickling was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to an Indian father and an English mother of Italian origin. At a young age, he moved to the United Kingdom, where his family settled in Greater Manchester. There, he trained as an actor at Manchester University's Arden School of Theatre.
After working in London's theatre scene for several years, he relocated to Paris to study at Paris 8 University Vincennes-Saint-Denis. After obtaining a Master of Arts, he was invited to pursue a PhD but left his doctorate in Performing Arts unfinished to focus on a career in cinema.
In 2012, he trained as a director at the European Center for Film Production (CEFPF) in Paris under Belgian filmmaker Harry Cleven. His work, which explores themes of Queer identity, has been screened at LGBTQ film festivals worldwide. Beyond filmmaking, Hickling continues to work as an actor and voice artist, contributing to animated films, documentaries, video games, and major advertising campaigns around the world. Antony Hickling obtained French citizenship in 2018.
Since 2023, he has taught theatre and on‑camera acting at Cours Florent. In 2026, he was appointed director of the BA (Hons) Acting programme, offered at Cours Florent in both French and English and accredited by Regent's University London.
Films Hickling's films are characterized by his underground film style, rich in religious symbolism, metaphors, and explicit sexual depictions. His trilogy of films—Little Gay Boy, Where Horses Go To Die, and Frig—concludes what he describes as the first chapter of his career. Both Frig and Little Gay Boy were restricted to audiences over 18 in France by the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, a classification typically applied to films containing simulated sex or extreme violence.
Hickling's early works experimented with unconventional cinematic storytelling, using visual techniques and themes exploring identity, sexuality, and spirituality. His films often defy traditional narrative structures, blending surreal imagery with raw, emotional performances. His approach established him as a distinctive voice in contemporary queer cinema, leading to screenings at international LGBTQ film festivals and retrospectives recognising his contributions to the genre.
With Down in Paris, he transitioned toward a more traditional narrative style while retaining his unique artistic voice. The film, noted for its introspective storytelling and atmospheric cinematography, marked the beginning of a new phase in his work, highlighting themes of personal crisis, creative struggle, and urban isolation.
His documentary An Afternoon with Patrick Sarfati offers an intimate portrait of the French photographer, demonstrating Hickling's ability to adapt his directorial style to non-fiction filmmaking. The film, recognized for its sensitive exploration of Sarfati's life and artistry, further highlights Hickling's range as a filmmaker. In 2026, he completed shooting his next feature film, Everything I Said I Wasn't, in Paris, produced by Vivàsvan Pictures and AH Films.https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39338075/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_accord_1_unrel_cdt_t_1
Filmography Director
YearTitleRoleNotes2010Birth 1, 2 & 3Director & WriterThree experimental shorts films - 25min2012Q.JDirector & WriterShort film - 5min2013Little Gay BoyDirector & WriterExperimental feature film - 72min2014One Deep BreathDirector & WriterExperimental feature film - 56min2014PDDirector & WriterExperimental short film - 8min2016Where Horses Go To DieDirector & WriterFeature film - 67min2017Loki Starfish: Eyes on the HighwayDirectorMusic video2018FrigDirector & WriterExperimental feature film - 60min2019Queer IDirector & WriterExperimental short film - 7min2021Down in ParisDirector & WriterFeature film - 102 min2023An Afternoon with Patrick SarfatiDirector & WriterDocumentary film - 75 min2024EllaDirector, Writer Benedict WellsShort film - 5O min2025Break a LegDirectorShort film - 38 min2027Everything I said I wasn't Director & WriterFeature Film - 94min Actor
YearTitleRoleNotes1999Love in the 21st Century with Colin FarrellKevin (Episode 6)TV series2000Where the Heart IsIndian WaiterTV series (1 episode)2006The RomanticsThe witnessTV series2006Boom Boom ClapStuartShort film2007Give & TakeDannyShort film20088th WonderlandDanyFilm2010Arthur 3: The War of the Two WorldsDouglasFilm2010All Hallows'eenHugh TraversShort film2012WorseThe manShort film2014Love in Paris (Saison 6 des Mystères de l'amour) NeurologueFrench TV series2014 The sky above Bastille (Le ciel au-dessus de Bastille) Derek AngerExperimental Film2016 Eric et Quentin The AmericanFrench TV Canal+2021The Butcher's DaughterSid KharishFilm2021The Biggest FanTony WilliamsFilm2021Down in ParisRichard BarlowFilm2021Black BoxCollaboraterFilm2022Lupin (French TV series)Max MollerSerie Netflix2023Hard SkillsGregFilm2025Ligne JauneHimself https://www.imdb.com/title/tt41332020/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_accord_2_cdt_t_3Short Film2027Everything I Said I Wasn'tProfessor https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39338075/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_accord_1_unrel_cdt_t_1Film
Theatre YearTitleRoleTheatreDirector1995Miss Julie with Amanda DonohoePeasantRoyal Exchange ManchesterBraham Murray1999SkinChrisManchesterHelen Parry1999The Giraffe and the Pelly and MeMonkeyPolka TheatreRoman Stefanski2000A different placeAbleEnglish Touring TheatreErica Whyman2000The Winter's TaleFlorizelSouthwark PlayhouseErica Whyman2001Unsuitable girlsAshokPilot TheatreKully Thiarai2001Death of a Salesman with Joseph MarcellBernardLeicester Haymarket TheatreKully Thiarai2002Dolly West's KitchenJamie O'BrienLeicester Haymarket TheatrePaul Kerryson2003A man astrayDouglasSoho TheatreErica Whyman2004La question aux pieds nusLuiThéâtre Déjazet Jacques Clancy2009The Dumb WaiterBenMonfort-ThéâtreLucille O'Flanagan2009Romeo and JulietRomeoMonfort-ThéâtreDaniel Soulier
Voice Over and Dubbing Films
YearTitleRoleNotes2011The LadyBBC JournalistFilm2012My WayPost production Voice OverFilm2014RapaceJournalistFrench TV Film2014MisunderstoodRickyFilm2015The Parisian Bitch, Princess of HeartsWilliamFilm2018KurskPost production voicesFilm2018FrigNarratorFilm
Animation Movies
YearTitleRoleNotes2015MoukVoiced several charactersAnimation TV Series2015Long Way NorthLarsonFilm2016Louise by the ShoreTom the parachutistFilm2016BallerinaVictor - reference voiceFilm2017-2021Cartoonito (French TV channel)PresenterTV Series
Documentary YearTitleProductionNotes2015Pansy - Les Pensées de PaulCanal+ France, Bangumi ProductionsTV2017The War of the Aces (La Guerre des As)Arte France, Indigenes ProductionsTV Series2018Snake tracker (Traqueur de serpents)Planète+TV Animal Documentary2021The Miracles of Jesus (Les Miracles de Jésus) Pernel MediaTV2022 Munich 72, des jeux et du sang - 2Pernel Media, ArteTV2022Snapshot of History (Instantané d'Histoire)ECPAD, ZED, ArteTV2022China perseverance (Chine perseverance)ArteTV2022 The Animal Factory (L'usine des Animaux)ArteTV2023Butterflies, superheroes of nature (Les Papillons, ces super-héros de la nature Version) Pernel Media, ArteTV2023The Mayas: from the mystery of their origins to the fall (Les Mayas : du mystère des origines à la chute) Pernel Media, ArteTV2024The Joan of Arc case (L'affaire Jeanne d'Arc) Program33TV2024Genius of builders (Génie des bâtisseurs) Pernel Media, Planète+TV2025Incas Pernel Media, CNCTV2025Erik Satie Allumage, ArteTV2025 Jaguars (Au nom des Jaguars) Pernel Media, France TélévisionsTV2025The War of the Worlds by Cyril Leuthy (La guerre des mondes) 10.7 Productions, ArteTV2025Pharaohs at War (Pharaons en guerre) by Anne Viry-Babel Pernel Media, Histoire TVTV2025Jimmy Somerville - Smalltown Boy by SIMONNET (OLIVIER)13 Productions, Arte, POP' FilmsTV2026The magical world of amphibians by Stéphane Jacques Pernel Media, ArteTV
Video Games YearTitleRoleNotes2010Heavy RainGordi Krameraction-adventure video game2012Les Aventures de Tintin Voiced several charactersaction-adventure video game
Film Festival Focus, Jury and Conference Jury, Chéries-Chéris Paris, France 2012 Jury, Serile Filmului Gay International Film Festival 2012, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Member of the board of directors and programmer for the festival Chéries-Chéris, Paris, France, from 2013 to 2016. Jury, TGLFF, Torino Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Italy 2015 Jury & Focus, Timi Shorts- Timișoara, Romania 2015 Round table discussion with Randal Kleiser, about the current state of contemporary LGBTQI cinéma for the Champs-Élysées Film Festival, Paris Paris 2017 Focus on his work at BIG!ff – Bari International Gender film festival Italy 2018, sponsored by Apulia Film Commission Italy. Focus on his work at Rio Festival de Gênero & Sexualidade no Cinema 2018 Focus on his work at the festival cultural de diversidad sexual y género, Cuernavaca, Mexico 2018. Focus on his work at Chéries-Chéris MK2, Paris, France 2018 Hybrida [GeSex#1] International colloquium on gender and sexuality perspectives in contemporary Francophone artistic-literary creation University of Valencia 2018 Focus on his work at Queer Zagreb, Perforacije Festival Zagreb, Croatia 2019 Jury, Sadique-master film festival, Paris 2019 Focus on his work at The IV DIGO – Goias Sexual diversity and gender international Film Festival, Brazil 2019. Focus on his work for Semana Rainbow, A Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Brasil 2019 Carte Blanche for the 25th edition of L'Etrange Film Festival, Forum des Images, Paris, France 2019 Retrospective & Masterclass at The International Queer Film Festival Merlinka or Merlinka festival, Belgrade, Serbia 2019 Jury & Masterclass, Zinegoak, Bilbao International Film Festival (Basque Country) Spain, 2020 Retrospective TLVFest, Tel Aviv's International LGBT Film Festival, Israel, Sept 2020. Jury, The International Queer Film Festival Merlinka or Merlinka festival, Belgrade, Serbia 2021 Jury, image+nation culture queer Image+Nation, 35th Edition, Montreal, Canada, Nov 2022
Awards Down in Paris wins: Best Director, Queer international Film Festival, Playa del Carmen, Mexico, November 2022 Down in Paris wins: Best Director for a Feature Film (International), Yellowstone International Film Festival, New Delhi, India, October 2022 Antony Hickling for Down in Paris wins The Kim Renders Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance Reelout Queer Film Festival, Canada, Feb 2022 Down in Paris wins season award nomination for Best Feature Live Action Narrative | Manchester Lift-Off, United Kingdom, 2022 Down in Paris obtained the Arthouse Recommendation from the French Association of Arthouse Cinemas on 24 February 2022 Down in Paris wins Best Narrative Feature for the 39th Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival OCT 2021 The Trilogy (Little Gay Boy, Where Horses Go To Die & Frig) receives the Christian Petermann award for an innovative work. Controversial scenarios expressed through music, dance and daring at the IV DIGO – Goias Sexual diversity and gender international Film Festival, Brazil, 2019 One Deep Breath – Best experimental feature at Zinegoak film festival in Bilbao, Spain, 2015 Special Mention for his work as a director at Rio FICG, Brazil, 2015 Holy Thursday (The Last supper) – Special mention from the Jury. Chéries-Chéris, France, 2013
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