Max, a 25-year-old aspiring writer living in London, begins a double life as a sex worker in order to research his debut novel.
Film byl nominován na Velkou cenu poroty na festivalu Sundance. V kinech od 20. 6. 2025.
Synopsis
In this queer drama, we follow Max, a 25-year-old freelance writer and aspiring novelist who seems well on his way to success in London’s cultural spheres. Yet by night, he finds a different kind of exhilaration as a sex worker with the pseudonym Sebastian, meeting men via an escorting platform. Max uses his experiences as Sebastian to fuel his stories and the worthy debut novel that he has been longing to write, finally seems within reach. As Max increasingly struggles to remain in control of a delicately balanced double-life, he must reckon with whether Sebastian is merely a writer’s tool in their quest for the ultimate sense of first-hand authenticity – or whether something more is at stake.
About the Director
Mikko Mäkelä is a Finnish-British filmmaker and screenwriter based in London, named by IndieWire in 2019 as one of the “25 LGBTQ Filmmakers on the Rise.” His debut feature A Moment in the Reeds (2017), made for less than £30,000, was screened at over 80 festivals worldwide, including BFI London, Göteborg IFF, Seattle IFF, and Frameline. The film earned nominations for both the BIFAs and the Finnish Jussi Awards. Mikko is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents (2019) and the BIFA Springboard program supported by Netflix (2020). Before his debut, he directed music and fashion videos and worked as an editor in theatre and advertising.
Film Details
United Kingdom / 2024
111 min / DCP
Languages: English, French
Subtitles: Czech, English
Rating: 18+
Director: Mikko Mäkelä
Screenplay: Mikko Mäkelä
Cast: Ruaridh Mollica, Hiftu Quasem, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Jonathan Hyde
LevelK, Queer Kino
