Antony Hickling | |
|---|---|
 Hickling in 2024 | |
| Born | 8 November 1975 Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Nationality | British–French |
| Alma mater | Arden School of Theatre, Paris 8 University Vincennes-Saint-Denis |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, director, writer |
Antony Hickling (born 8 November 1975) is an English independent filmmaker, actor, writer, voiceover artist, and professor.
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. [1]
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. [2] [3]
Beyond filmmaking, Hickling continues to work as an actor and voice artist, contributing to animated films, documentaries, video games, and major advertising campaigns. Since 2023, he has been a professor of stage and screen at the Cours Florent school in Paris.
He became a French citizen in 2018.
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 recognizing his contributions to the genre.
In 2017, Hickling founded the production company H&A Films, allowing him greater creative independence. 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.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Birth 1, 2 & 3 | Director & Writer | Three experimental shorts films - 25min |
| 2012 | Q.J | Director & Writer | Short film - 5min |
| 2013 | Little Gay Boy | Director & Writer | Experimental feature film - 72min |
| 2014 | One Deep Breath | Director & Writer | Experimental feature film - 56min |
| 2014 | PD | Director & Writer | Experimental short film - 8min |
| 2016 | Where Horses Go To Die | Director & Writer | Feature film - 67min |
| 2017 | Loki Starfish: Eyes on the Highway | Director | Music video |
| 2018 | Frig | Director & Writer | Experimental feature film - 60min |
| 2019 | Queer I | Director & Writer | Experimental short film - 7min |
| 2021 | Down in Paris | Director & Writer | Feature film - 102 min |
| 2023 | An afternoon with Patrick Sarfati | Director & Writer | Documentary film - 75 min |
| 2024 | Ella [4] | Director, Writer Benedict Wells | Short film - 5O min |
| 2025 | Break a Leg | Director | Short film - 38 min |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Love in the 21st Century with Colin Farrell | Kevin (Episode 6) | TV series |
| 2000 | Where the Heart Is | Indian Waiter | TV series (1 episode) |
| 2006 | The Romantics | The witness | TV series |
| 2006 | Boom Boom Clap | Stuart | Short film |
| 2007 | Give & Take | Danny | Short film |
| 2008 | 8th Wonderland | Dany | Film |
| 2010 | Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds | Douglas | Film |
| 2010 | All Hallows'een | Hugh Travers | Short film |
| 2012 | Worse | The man | Short film |
| 2014 | Love in Paris (Saison 6 des Mystères de l'amour) | Neurologue | French TV series |
| 2014 | The sky above Bastille (Le ciel au-dessus de Bastille) | Derek Anger | Experimental Film |
| 2016 | Eric et Quentin | The American | French TV Canal+ |
| 2021 | The Butcher's Daughter | Sid Kharish | Film |
| 2021 | The Biggest Fan | Tony Williams | Film |
| 2021 | Down in Paris | Richard Barlow | Film |
| 2021 | Black Box | Collaborater | Film |
| 2022 | Lupin (French TV series) | Max Moller | Serie Netflix |
| 2023 | Hard Skills | Greg | Film |
| Year | Title | Role | Theatre | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Miss Julie with Amanda Donohoe | Peasant | Royal Exchange Manchester | Braham Murray |
| 1999 | Skin | Chris | Manchester | Helen Parry |
| 1999 | The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me [5] | Monkey | Polka Theatre | Roman Stefanski |
| 2000 | A different place | Able | English Touring Theatre | Erica Whyman |
| 2000 | The Winter's Tale [6] | Florizel | Southwark Playhouse | Erica Whyman |
| 2001 | Unsuitable girls | Ashok | Pilot Theatre | Kully Thiarai |
| 2001 | Death of a Salesman with Joseph Marcell [7] | Bernard | Leicester Haymarket Theatre | Kully Thiarai |
| 2002 | Dolly West's Kitchen | Jamie O'Brien | Leicester Haymarket Theatre | Paul Kerryson |
| 2003 | A man astray | Douglas | Soho Theatre | Erica Whyman |
| 2004 | La question aux pieds nus | Lui | Théâtre Déjazet | Jacques Clancy |
| 2009 | The Dumb Waiter | Ben | Monfort-Théâtre | Lucille O'Flanagan |
| 2009 | Romeo and Juliet | Romeo | Monfort-Théâtre | Daniel Soulier |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | The Lady | BBC Journalist | Film |
| 2012 | My Way | Post production Voice Over | Film |
| 2014 | Rapace | Journalist | French TV Film |
| 2014 | Misunderstood | Ricky | Film |
| 2015 | The Parisian Bitch, Princess of Hearts | William | Film |
| 2018 | Kursk | Post production voices | Film |
| 2018 | Frig | Narrator | Film |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Mouk | Voiced several characters | Animation TV Series |
| 2015 | Long Way North | Larson | Film |
| 2016 | Louise by the Shore | Tom the parachutist | Film |
| 2016 | Ballerina | Victor - reference voice | Film |
| 2017-2021 | Cartoonito (French TV channel) | Presenter | TV Series |
| Year | Title | Production | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Pansy - Les Pensées de Paul | Canal+ France, Bangumi Productions | TV |
| 2017 | The War of the Aces (La Guerre des As) | Arte France, Indigenes Productions | TV Series |
| 2018 | Snake tracker (Traqueur de serpents) | Planète+ | TV Animal Documentary |
| 2021 | The Miracles of Jesus (Les Miracles de Jésus) | Pernel Media | TV |
| 2022 | Munich 72, des jeux et du sang - 2 | Pernel Media, Arte | TV |
| 2022 | Snapshot of History (Instantané d'Histoire) | ECPAD, ZED, Arte | TV |
| 2022 | China perseverance (Chine perseverance) | Arte | TV |
| 2022 | The Animal Factory (L'usine des Animaux) | Arte | TV |
| 2023 | Butterflies, superheroes of nature (Les Papillons, ces super-héros de la nature Version) | Pernel Media, Arte | TV |
| 2023 | The Mayas: from the mystery of their origins to the fall (Les Mayas : du mystère des origines à la chute) | Pernel Media, Arte | TV |
| 2024 | The Joan of Arc case (L'affaire Jeanne d'Arc) | Program33 | TV |
| 2024 | Genius of builders (Génie des bâtisseurs) | Pernel Media, Planète+ | TV |
| 2025 | Incas | Pernel Media, CNC | TV |
| 2025 | Erik Satie | Allumage, Arte | TV |
| 2025 | Jaguars (Au nom des Jaguars) | Pernel Media, France Télévisions | TV |
| 2025 | The War of the Worlds by Cyril Leuthy (La guerre des mondes) | 10.7 Productions, Arte | TV |
| 2025 | Pharaohs at War (Pharaons en guerre) by Anne Viry-Babel | Pernel Media, Histoire TV | TV |
| 2025 | Jimmy Somerville - Smalltown Boy by SIMONNET (OLIVIER) | 13 Productions, Arte, POP' Films | TV |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Heavy Rain | Gordi Kramer | action-adventure video game |
| 2012 | Les Aventures de Tintin | Voiced several characters | action-adventure video game |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
