Sebastian by Mikko Mäkelä to premiere in Sundance
Finnish writer-director Mikko Mäkelä’s sophmore feature Sebastian will have its world premiere in Sundance Film Festival’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition.
Sebastian is a character-driven drama about identity, autofiction and the search for authenticity. The film follows Max, a writer in his 20s, who starts leading a double life as a sex worker while researching for his debut novel. The lead is played by Ruaridh Mollica.
Shot in London, Glasgow and Brussels, the film is a co-production between the UK, Finland and Belgium. It is produced by James Watson for Bêtes Sauvages, and the Finnish co-producers are Aleksi Bardy and Severi Koivusalo for Helsinki-filmi.
In addition to Mäkelä, other Finnish talents in the film include cinematographer Iikka Salminen, editor Arttu Salmi, gaffer Miska Rämö, sound designer Enos Desjardins and composer Ilari Heinilä. Finnish Film Foundation has supported the production.
Sundance Film Festival takes place in Park City, Utah, on January 18–28, 2024.