SEBASTIAN

UK/Finland, 2024, 110 minutes, Colour.

Ruaridh Mollica, Hiftu Quassem, Jonathan Hyde, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Dylan Brady.

Directed by Mikko Mäkelä.

Sebastian is a challenging drama, a British film directed by a Finnish director. Its central character is played by a British/Italian actor, Ruaridh Mollica, with a supporting cast of Scandinavian actors and a strong performance from Jonathan Hyde.

The film is sometimes graphic and explicit in its scenes of sexual encounters.

Max is from Scotland, a talented writer, a short story in the British magazine, Granta, now working on his novel, encouraged by fellow writers with interviews from literary editors. He is highly ambitious for a successful career.

Max is homosexual. He decides to do some research for his writing, setting himself up online as an escort. He meets up with the various men, the sexual encounters, payment. And he begins to write about these encounters, in the third person, his friends and editors not suspecting his activities.

Max creates an online persona for himself, Sebastian, and as the film develops, there is the character of Sebastian, friendly, accommodating, sexually active. But there is also the writing obsessed Max, and the challenge to his two personalities when he encounters a retired writer and editor, Jonathan Hyde, and forms a personal relationship even while observing his behaviour and writing.

Ultimately, some overreaching of himself, criticisms from the friends he lets down, the editors suggesting that the writing is becoming tedious, another encounter with a client which leads to violence and his exposure, stranded in Amsterdam, having to face up to himself, his hopes, some integrity. The audience is not sure that this will happen.

1. The title, the working name, Max and Sébastian?
2. The London settings, flats, offices, editorial rooms, literature occasions? The contrast with Sebastian’s work, hotels, rooms, clubs? The Amsterdam sequences, clubs, the streets? The musical score?
3. The double character drama, the touch of Jekyll and Hyde? Max, his age, Scottish background, family and contact with his mother, his skill in writing, his ambitions, the publication of his story in Granta, further stories and encouragement, the publishing firms and editors and their discussions and encouragement? His friendship with Amna? Her work, comments, affirmation? Acknowledging himself as a gay man?
4. Going online, his decision about his story, creating the name of Sebastian, enrolling himself, the photos, the provocative descriptions? His decision to act as an escort rather than just observing? His encounters, the initial encounter with the older man, the relationship with the client, the discussions, the sexual activity, the aftermath? The encounter with Daniel, married, his response to Daniel, Daniel appreciating that he did not lie about himself?
5. Seeing him of the typewriter, his creativity, bringing the manuscripts for consideration, the variety of responses, from Amna, editors, the believing he was observing and writing creatively? The shift to writing in the first person, as Sebastian?
6. The development of the manuscript, the encouragement of the editors, the publishing plans, the prospect of money, added to the money coming in from the clients? The editors and their criticisms, wanting it more personal, the validity of the criticism that in his becoming more settled as Sebastian, companionship, the audience was losing interest?
7. The encounter with Nicholas, literary background, age, manner, teaching, reticent, the gradual relationship? Sebastian and his response, his being changed in this relationship? But still observing? And encountering Nicholas at the literature function? The discussions with Nicholas, about his writing, Nicholas and his encouragement, and Nicholas revealing his story, his literary work, editing, and his long-term relationship, the death of his companion?
8. The dilemma for Sebastian/Max, which name to introduce himself with? To continue as an escort? The next meeting with Daniel, the sexual aspects, his reticence, Daniel discovering the truth about him, the violent response? Ousting him, not giving him his wallet, Max wandering the streets, at the bar, the encounter with the young man, asking for money, the young man spitting on him?
9. Ringing for the money, his return to England?

• His prospects, the truth about himself, the relationship with Nicholas, the friendship with a, the development of his writing?