Biography
Niclas Gillis, born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, began studying film production through night classes at Stockholm University at age fifteen. A year later, he enrolled full-time in a media high school and soon started directing commercials for various Swedish companies. During summer breaks, he worked as a trailer producer for European television at Viasat in London, England. The following year, he landed his first leading acting role in The Ape, directed by Jesper Ganslandt, which was selected for the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals.
At nineteen, Gillis moved to New York, where he directed video content for clients such as The New York Times, The Line Hotel, and Native Son—the latter receiving comparisons to Pier Paolo Pasolini's Teorema by New York Magazine. He also contributed film writing to The Last Magazine and served as a story analyst for Universal Pictures International.
From January 2014 to December 2016, Gillis wrote, directed, produced, and edited Hold Me Down, a narrative short film depicting a day in the life of a 19-year-old single mother who works as a stripper at an illegal nightclub in the South Bronx to support her child. Inspired by true events, the film features a cast of women survivors of sexual exploitation and domestic violence. Gillis stated, "We wanted the women who live this life to have the opportunity to tell their own story, to raise awareness of the conditions that they face, and to show all those who suffer life in silence that they're not alone and that their story matters." Hold Me Down premiered to critical acclaim at the Gothenburg International Film Festival in January 2017. Partnering with Project Rousseau, the film helped the women involved transition out of prostitution and achieve stability.
In May 2017, Gillis directed Nike's "I, David" campaign featuring renowned ballet dancer David Hallberg. Nike described Gillis on their website as "a rising star within the film industry" and "a premiere talent to watch.
