Nearly half a century ago, Derek Jarman made Sebastiane, an experimental masterpiece that looked at the trials and tribulations of the titular saint as he underwent persecution for his homosexuality and refusal to abide by the social convention in Ancient Rome, which resulted in his martyrdom that many still view as a tragic demise for someone based solely on their identity and how they chose to live their life. Whether or not Mikko Mäkelä was influenced by this work remains to be seen, but it is difficult to look at his similarly-titled Sebastian and not see some correlations, at least in terms of some of the themes being explored. The film tells the story of Max, a promising young writer who has been declared a wunderkind based on a couple of short stories that he has managed to get published, as well as a novel that he is in the process of writing. However, beneath the shy and reserved veneer lurks “Sebastian”, the alter ego he used to engage in work as an escort, becoming a preferred companion to many of London’s most wealthy men, who view him as a perfect diversion from their ordinary lives, especially since his discretion is widely appreciated, as do his boyish charms and striking looks that makes him a highly coveted member of the local queer community. In turn for these sexual favours, Max uses the encounters as a way to do research, since he believes he can only write about desire, sexuality and identity having gained firsthand experience, a plan that initially works before it starts to spiral out of control after a series of events proves to be his ultimate downfall. A simple but provocative drama in which the director continues some of the themes from his debut A Moment in the Reeds to closely examine many complex ideas relating to homosexuality, identity and the challenges faced by the current generation as they are thrust into a world they aren’t able to understand, and where survival seems to be only offered to those who are capable of adhering to social standards, regardless of how limiting they may be.

As time has progressed, we’ve mercifully moved past the point where every film based in and around the LGBTQIA+ community is expected to be the definitive word on queer issues. This being a trend of the past is understandable – it was difficult enough to get these films financed, so logically anyone who could acquire the resources would feel compelled to create something somewhat comprehensive. This is logically impossible for many reasons, and we’ve come to a point where more specific stories can be told, which are far more insightful and compelling based on how they tend to be much more authentic and detailed. Sebastian is a film that speaks to many universal issues, but filters them through a particular premise, being a vibrant snapshot of the queer community in contemporary London, as seen through the eyes of a young man who is leading a double life, with his daytime endeavours seeing his attempts to become a defining queer voice of his generation, whereas by night, he takes on a more scandalous persona, both of which lead to something of an existential crisis from which he seems incapable of escaping entirely. Mäkelä is quite ambitious, as well as possessing a fearlessness that is difficult to ignore, both of which manifest in his efforts to craft a film that looks at a subject that remains quite taboo by even the most liberal of standards. Presently, sex work is still viewed as quite controversial, despite active attempts to highlight evidence that it can help those from marginalized communities or who are facing economic hardship to find a means to survive. However, evocation doesn’t necessarily equate to endorsement, and the director is very clear that he isn’t interested in drawing a line in the sand as far as his opinion on the subject goes. Instead, he intends to craft an authentic, honest portrayal of the life of a sex worker and how he commodifies his appearance and identity, not for financial gain but rather for artistic purposes, an interesting approach that the film takes its time to establish as its intention, but when it eventually begins to manifest, the results are extraordinary and speak to something much more complex than we’d expect at a cursory glance.

We are introduced to new actors every year, some making their acting debuts, others being plucked from relative obscurity and being given their breakthrough. Ruaridh Mollica has been working for a short while, appearing in several films and television shows, but has not made much of an impression based on being given quite small supporting roles that didn’t highlight his impeccable skills. This changed with Sebastian, who occupies the titular role and challenges himself to play a character that is essentially two entirely different people connected by a single body, playing into both sides of the part and delivering stellar work that is bound to position him as a genuinely exciting young actor. From a distance, we can tell how challenging this part would be for even the most seasoned of actors – not only does he need to adopt two distinct personas, but so much of the performance is driven by a certain kind of physicality, one in which every movement, gesture and facial expression says more than words ever could, which requires an actor who is in full command of his entire body, but also able to convey the sense of insecurity and timidity that has to come from a deeply personal place since it can’t be fabricated without seeming inauthentic. Mollica is perhaps the year’s most compelling revelation, with his striking beauty being complimented by his immense talents, which work in tandem to create this enthralling depiction of a young man struggling to find himself in the modern world, and who falls victim to the temptation of leading an entirely separate life, following his attempts to survive when this plan begins to unravel and potentially thrust him into even more of a state of existential dread. The supporting cast has some wonderful performances, but it’s Jonathan Hyde who is perhaps most surprising, playing the tender older gay man who refuses to see the protagonist as merely an object, and whose efforts to get to know him and understand his situation prove to be quite important in Max’s development. The performances are simple but beautiful, and carry so much meaning that can only be fully understood by those who have ever felt the crippling anxiety of not quite knowing where in the world they fit, and how liberating it can be to find some sense of belonging.

A film that looks at the themes present in Sebastian is going to understandably court some controversy and therefore will need to find a specific approach to circumvent the likely criticisms and draw attention to its artistic integrity, without which it would have not likely been successful as anything more than a one-dimensional social issues drama. Mäkelä has a clear vision, and he chooses to approach these ideas through the lens of social realism, not necessarily the kind pioneered by the generation of socially aware filmmakers that came before him, but rather an even more raw, brutal depiction of everyday life, following a protagonist who has placed himself in a precarious position and now has to find ways to emancipate himself from the consequences of his actions, which were done in good faith but still cannot be excused as easily as he desires. Rather than taking the approach of developing it as a dense melodrama, the director instead chooses a more intimate, earnest approach – he tackles the themes with a sensitivity that doesn’t say much about his perception of the issue, other than his clear sense of empathy that propels most of the film. Compassion without judgment is a technique that very few contemporary filmmakers have been able to master, and while there are a few areas in which Mäkelä could have tinkered to more effectively capture the essence of this story and its deeper implications, the execution itself is extremely strong. Heavy-handed emotions have very little space in a film like Sebastian, which is going to thrive on simplicity more than anything else. The unfurnished, simple visual aesthetic, coupled with a minimal score and slightly slower pace allows the ideas at the heart of this film to develop organically. Some of the film is slightly predictable, and Sebastian does indeed occupy the growing sub-genre of “queer misery” that has seemingly become a common practice in a lot of contemporary filmmaking, but its intentions are admirable and the simple, direct approach adds layers of meaning and nuance to an otherwise very distinct narrative, which only benefits from its experimentation with different emotions and tones.

Queer cinema continues to produce these exceptional, remarkably moving works of storytelling that may be very different in terms of themes or tone, as well as specific stories around which they orbit, but are still united in working towards piecing together a much larger mosaic of the queer experience, both past and present. Sebastian is an impeccable film that knows its audience is primarily going to be those who will see themselves in the characters, and therefore doesn’t need to preach so much as it comforts and encourages those struggling with their identity to come to peace with themselves, only after which can they expect to find a place where they feel like they truly belong. The simplicity of this film is an absolute asset, and the director crafts something that feels genuinely engaging, taking us on a subtle but deeply moving journey into the mind of a young man who presents as some audacious, confident being, but in reality, is just as confused and lost as anyone else, and who discovers that the lessons he needs to learn do not necessarily come all that easily, or that they sometimes can only be encountered after taking a risk and failing. It’s difficult to not relate to Sebastian (or perhaps some of the supporting players, as this film gives the peripheral characters enough to do that we can find some resonant elements in most of them) and his efforts to make his way through life he has yet to fully comprehend in its entirety. The layers that make up this film incite several emotions, all of which are authentic and deeply captivating, having a sense of both time and place in how it captures this specific milieu with precision and honesty, working to create this tender, heartfelt ode to the folly of youth, the importance of taking risks and the mistakes we make along the way.