Sebastien02

This Belgian short film focuses on a gay teenager looking for his first sexual experience through a dating application. Things do not go as planned, but that's life. The character of Clement (16), both innocent and bold, is well written and performed. His excitement mixed with anxiety, before meeting Naël (25), is realistic. I was less convinced by the role of Naël, which lacks substance. He behaves frivolously and is not very credible when he tries to be more protective. Otherwise, I appreciated the summer atmosphere and Clement's kindness towards his elderly neighbor, whom he cares for. All in all, I would say that the story is pleasant to watch, without being exceptional.

For his second movie as director, Fabian Stumm has created a story that oscillates between laughter and emotion. He plays the lead role: a gay German filmmaker juggling the upbringing of a child, his work and his love affairs. The catchphrase could be: "Life is hard, but it is better when we laugh through it". I liked his offbeat humour and how he portrays his characters with tenderness. The sequences with random people telling sad jokes fit in quite well with the narrative. I remember this one: "What do you call a sad coffee? A depresso". However, not everything works in the film. The purely dramatic scenes are less effective than the funny ones. I also had the impression of watching a succession of vignettes, rather than a full-fledged story. Overall, I was a little disappointed, especially as I enjoyed his previous feature, « Bones and names ».

Max is a 25-year-old aspiring writer living in London. Alongside his journalist job, he works on his first novel, centered on gay male prostitution. Max finds his inspiration in an original way: he recounts his own experiences as an escort, under the alias of Sebastian. He is embodied on screen by Ruaridh Mollica, a charming and talented actor. Ruaridh perfectly conveys the inner complexity of his character. He is in almost every shot, including the numerous and graphic sex scenes that fortunately do not overpower the story. Writer-director Mikko Makela takes a non-judgmental approach to deal with topics such as the creative process, the world of escorts, self-discovery and self-acceptance. The images and colours are beautiful. The city, with its anonymity and loneliness, is a character in its own right. I found the movie interesting. It shows a raw side of current gay sexuality and correctly portrays a young artist in search of both success and identity.