Sebastian

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1:56

Sebastian

Released Aug 2, 2024

1h 50m

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

52 Reviews

59%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Max (Ruaridh Mollica) is a 25-year-old aspiring novelist, living in London and paying his dues working at a literary magazine. Frustrated by his own ambitions and the pressures to succeed, Max begins moonlighting as a sex worker with the pseudonym Sebastian, secretly meeting men via an escorting platform and using his experiences to fuel his stories. What begins as a few furtive meetings soon becomes a hidden nocturnal life, and the debut novel that he has been longing to write finally seems within reach. Finding himself more comfortable as Sebastian than expected, yet determined to keep his exploits a secret, Max increasingly struggles to remain in control of a delicately balanced double-life. As he confronts conflicting feelings of ecstasy, shame, and exhilarating liberation, Max has to reckon with whether Sebastian is merely a writer's tool to achieve first-hand authenticity -- or whether something more is at stake.

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Critics Consensus

Mollica compels as a young man caught between two lives and his performance elevates Sebastian, a provocative if uneven story that explores an artist's quest to find inspiration and authenticity in the name of art.

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Manuel Betancourt

Los Angeles Times

With its keen, sensual eye, “Sebastian” makes its portrait of an artist as a young sex worker brim with pained authenticity about how fleeting and seemingly transactional intimacies remain rife sites of exploration for queer writers.

Aug 12, 2024

Full Review

Bob Mondello

NPR

British character actor Jonathan Hyde is understated and dignified as the editor who gets past Max's defenses, while relative newcomer Ruaridh Mollica lets you see every chink in Max's armor just before a piece of that armor falls away.

Aug 9, 2024

Full Review

J. Kim Murphy

Variety

Despite the film’s confident naturalism, it seems less intimate as it goes on, with Max somehow growing more distant and generic as he becomes more comfortable in his own skin.

Aug 5, 2024

Full Review

Josh Winning

Radio Times

As a whole, Sebastian falls short of the kind of piercing insight that Max is attempting to achieve in his own writing, but the film comes alive in the later scenes he shares with an elderly client with whom he forms a profound connection.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 11, 2025

Full Review

Cain Noble-Davies

FILMINK (Australia)

… trades in both writer porn and actual porn, but in a way that does justice to the emotional realities involved with each.

Rated: 16/20

Jan 18, 2025

Full Review

Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

Having set up all the elements of a thriller, the film proceeds to untangle them in a refreshingly different and mature way.

Rated: 4.5/5

Jan 6, 2025

Full Review

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Cristal

I liked the movie. Maybe a bit too long.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/13/24

Full Review

david m

I really enjoyed this film. It took me by surprise. I wasn't sure what it was going to be about. But it turned out to be such a great experience. It's hard to find films like this especially with queer Cinema. But this was such a great story and it was really well written. And the acting was very good and the way it was shot was beautiful. I was moved. Highly recommend for audiences seeking out good queer cinema.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/10/24

Full Review

Richard F

A very moving take on the love connections made by a rent boy, Sebastian, who brings a good heart to his second income. It's both moving and it also moves. Quite an eye opener. Reminds me of a friend long ago who used to hustle in the 60s. He protested, "Hustlers get a bad rap. They provide a closeness people need and can't get anywhere else."

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/21/25

Full Review

Alec B

Its a suprising movie, mostly because you don't initially expect this seemingly inscrutable young man to have any depth of feeling. It becomes clear though that what he's looking for is a kind of tangible validation beyond his work and beyond the novel he's writing

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/18/24

Full Review

Chris V

An enjoyable film that's not shy about depicting sex scenes in the proper context of what an escort does for a living. The only disappointment was the ending, which felt trite.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/10/24

Full Review

Audience Member

A Captivating Canvas in Mollica! In the vibrant world of art, where dreams come alive, Mollica compels, a film that will thrive! With a young man caught in a whirlwind of strife, He dances between two worlds, finding meaning in life. Sebastian’s the name, and what a delight, His performance is soaring, taking flight! An artist on a quest for inspiration grand, Navigating the chaos with brush in hand. The story unfolds with a provocative flair, Exploring the heart of what artists must bear. For authenticity, he reaches, he strives, In the name of true art, where passion derives. The visuals dazzle, a feast for the eyes, With colors and textures that sparkle and rise. Each frame is a canvas, a masterpiece bright, Bringing Sebastian's journey into the light. While the plot may be uneven, it wades through the waves, As emotions run deep, and the heart truly craves. Moments of laughter, and then tears that will flow, A beautiful struggle, allowing us to grow. The cast is a gem, with talent that shines, They breathe life into characters, crossing the lines. With chemistry flowing like colors that blend, This film’s like a journey with art as your friend. So if you seek inspiration and stories that sing, Mollica is a treasure, a bold offering! With whimsy and heart in every heartfelt scene, You’ll leave feeling uplifted, refreshed, and serene. So grab your companions and dive into this art, For Mollica will capture and play on your heart! A journey of wonder, creativity’s spark, In the world of cinema, it truly hits the mark!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/12/24

Full Review

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Mikko Mäkelä

Director

Ruaridh Mollica

Max

Hiftu Quasem

Amna

Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson

Daniel

Lara Rossi

Claudia

Leanne Best

Dionne

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Sebastian: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Max (Ruaridh Mollica) is a 25-year-old aspiring novelist, living in London and paying his dues working at a literary magazine. Frustrated by his own ambitions and the pressures to succeed, Max begins moonlighting as a sex worker with the pseudonym Sebastian, secretly meeting men via an escorting platform and using his experiences to fuel his stories. What begins as a few furtive meetings soon becomes a hidden nocturnal life, and the debut novel that he has been longing to write finally seems within reach. Finding himself more comfortable as Sebastian than expected, yet determined to keep his exploits a secret, Max increasingly struggles to remain in control of a delicately balanced double-life. As he confronts conflicting feelings of ecstasy, shame, and exhilarating liberation, Max has to reckon with whether Sebastian is merely a writer's tool to achieve first-hand authenticity -- or whether something more is at stake.

Director: Mikko Mäkelä
Producer: James Robert Benjamin Watson
Screenwriter: Mikko Mäkelä
Distributor: Kino Lorber
Production Co: Lemming Film België, Finnish Impact Film Fund, Helsinki Filmi Oy, Good Chaos, Barry Crerar, Bêtes Sauvages
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 2, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 1, 2024
Box Office (Gross USA): $64.5K
Runtime: 1h 50m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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