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.
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.
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.
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