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Synopsis

Director Derek Jarman’s (Caravaggio, The Tempest) feature film debut Sebastiane lays bare the latent homoeroticism that has always lurked beneath the glossy surface of Hollywood biblical epics. Jarman crafts his slyly lurid yet exquisitely poetic historical drama around the martyrdom of St. Sebastian in the same way that Italian Renaissance painters used the image of St. Sebastian to eroticize the male nude. Though audaciously performed entirely in Latin, and carrying the same visual boldness of Jarman’s collaboration with Ken Russell on The Devils, Sebastiane depicts both earthly lust and spiritual yearning with what The Guardian described as “an honesty and directness that’s the absolute opposite of camp.” _Sebastiane_’s lyricism is supported by one of cult composer Brian Eno’s first and best music scores.

Stripped of rank and exiled to a remote Sardinian outpost, Roman soldier and suspected Christian Sebastian (Leonardo Treviglio) becomes the object of his commanding officer Severus’ (Barney James) aggressive desire. As Sebastian turns his back on his fellow soldiers in favor of his own visionary mystical longings, the sun-bleached Mediterranean idyll becomes a psycho-sexual hothouse where predatory desire and religious longing set the stage for a shocking tableau of death and martyrdom.

Sebastiane caused a riot when it premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, and was a surprise hit upon its initial release in the UK. —Kino

Director

Original

Derek Jarman

Derek Jarman (January 31, 1942- February 19, 1994), British film director, artist, and writer.

Jarman’s first films were experimental super 8mm shorts, a form he never entirely abandoned, and later developed further (in his films Imagining October (1984), The Angelic Conversation (1985), The Last Of England (1987) and The Garden (1990)) as a parallel to his narrative work.

Jarman made his debut in “overground” narrative filmmaking with the groundbreaking Sebastiane (1976), arguably the first British film to feature positive images of gay sexuality, and the first (and to date, only) film entirely in Latin. He follwed this with the film many regard as his first masterpiece, Jubilee (shot 1977, released 1978), in which Queen Elizabeth I of England is transported forward in time to a desolate and brutal wasteland ruled by her twentieth century namesake. Jubilee was arguably the first UK punk movie, and amongst its cast featured punk groups and figures such as Wayne County… read more

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ramosbarajas

9Mar12

Jarman has a knack for adding incongruous elements in his films (trains in Caravaggio anyone?) so the historically accurate questions are not important. But, my oh my, this is a great film. The cinematography is one of the best I have seen. The blocking and compositions in the last scene is immaculate. Sebastiane's performance bothered me a bit. I suppose that's the worst part, but it is not a deal breaker.

  • Picture of ramosbarajas

    ramosbarajas

    9Mar12

    Many elements of the film; the screenplay, sound, music, and performances, directing, editing are all incredible. I loved the atmosphere and mood created. Not a traditional queer film (maybe except for the gratuitous nude scenes, but even those don't feel forced), but then again, no art film usually is.

Evnad

1Feb12

The sensuality of the male body in Antonioni landscapes. But I liked it more when it was called "Beau travail".

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barbudean

7Aug11

what a piece of art.

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Arcanus

2Jun11

Totally camp and kinky! Gayer than a ninety five pence note!

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