Sebastian is a 2024 international co-production film written and directed by Mikko Mäkelä.
| Sebastian | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Mikko Mäkelä |
| Written by | Mikko Mäkelä |
| Produced by | James Robert Benjamin Watson |
| Cinematography | Iikka Salminen |
| Edited by | Arttu Salmi |
| Music by | Ilari Heinilä |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | LevelK |
Release date |
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Running time | 110 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Box office | $65,636[2][3] |
Premise
editMax, an aspiring young writer in London, begins living a double life as a sex worker in order to research his debut novel.
Cast
edit- Ruaridh Mollica as Max Williamson
- Hiftu Quasem as Amna
- Ingvar Sigurdsson as Daniel
- Jonathan Hyde as Nicholas
- Lara Rossi as Claudia
- Leanne Best as Dionne
- David Nellist as Peter
- Pedro Minas as Oliver
- Fleur Keith as Joan
- Dylan Brady as Joel
- Akbar Kurtha as Samir
- Marcus Macleod as Stuart
Production
editWritten and directed by Mäkelä as his second feature, Sebastian was produced by James Watson for their joint company Bêtes Sauvages, co-produced by Helsinki-filmi and Lemming Film België, and executive produced by Ciara Barry and Rosie Crerar of barry crerar.[4] The film was supported by the BFI and Screen Scotland, as well as the Finnish Film Foundation, Finnish Impact Film Fund, Great Point Media, BNP Paribas Film Finance, and the Belgian Tax Shelter.[5]
Principal photography took place in London, Glasgow, and Brussels, with post-production in London, Antwerp and Helsinki.[5]
Release
editIn December 2023, it was revealed the film would premiere in January at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. LevelK acquired the international rights to the film ahead of its Sundance premiere.[6] In February 2024, it was announced that the film had been acquired by Kino Lorber for North America, with a theatrical release to be announced.[7]
Reception
editOn review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 72% based on 46 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The website's consensus reads: "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."[8] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 53 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[9]
References
edit- ^ "Sebastian". 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "Sebastian (2024) – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "Sebastian". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ Balaga, Marta (19 January 2024). "'Sebastian' Director Mikko Makela on Providing a 'Frank and Honest' Portrayal of Queer Sexuality in Sundance Pick (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Sebastian by Mikko Mäkelä to premiere in Sundance". Finnish Film Foundation. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "LevelK boards UK title 'Sebastian' ahead of Sundance premiere". LevelK. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "Sundance Queer Drama 'Sebastian' Finds U.S. and International Distribution (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ "Sebastian". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "Sebastian". Metacritic. Retrieved 4 September 2024.