“Not everything needs to be some grand statement if it’s well observed, if it’s truthful…” This line from Mikko Makela’s script for his new film, Sebastian, describes the piece perfectly. Following the recent success of Oscar Award winning and record-breaker Anora, and in a world where sex-work has become more ingrained into our every day life, we’re seeing more and more cinematic depictions of the people who choose to pursue this type of career.

Sebastian takes place in the gloomy but bustling streets of London, where 25-year-old Max (Ruaridh Mollica) is an aspiring writer working on his first novel. During the day, Max works as a freelancer for a magazine, interviewing other writers and reviewing their work. At night, unbeknownst to those around him, Max works as a gay escort under the pseudonym Sebastian, using his experiences as inspiration to fuel his story.

The film opens with Max sitting nervously opposite a man who looks twice his age. There’s tension in the room, a discomfort with an unclear origin, putting viewers on instant alert, anticipating the moment where things may turn volatile. However, Writer/Director Makela wanted to be clear that this is not ‘yet another sad sex worker story’ but an exploration of a career that many young – and in particular Queer – people are choosing to embark on, based on his own experiences with friends and colleagues. He does this by allowing us to see Max as Sebastian, becoming more and more confident in his work as an escort, turning his awkward and anxious encounters into something more professional and transactional as the film goes on.

The real sources of conflict we see throughout are between Max and his editors and him and the persona he has created. Whilst Max wants to focus on the real connections that can be made in sex work, his publishers want him to focus on the excitement of his earlier endeavours. The lines between the person he is and the persona he’s created start to blur even further when he connects with Nicholas (Jonathan Hyde) an older client with whom he forms a deeper relationship.

Sebastian doesn’t hold back on its graphic depictions of sexual intercourse, without veering into sleazy or gratuitous. Instead, it’s a tool used in place of heavy dialogue to show us that Max may be entering into these situations and experiences out of more than just a desire for inspiration.

The film’s strengths lie in the performances, which are particularly strong in the quieter moments. Mollica can convey his emotions with just a glance around the subway on his journey to work, or in the way his face changes as scrolls through his phone searching for potential suitors, however its never quite clear whether his deep lingering sadness is due to shame over the sex work or his perceived failures in writing.

Makela shows great restraint in his script, never delving too deep into exposition but using incredibly moving conversations to show the character development. This is exceptionally used in a scene between Max and Nicholas where the latter shares stories of his history as a queer man, and what it was like to lose the love of his life after 27 years.

Despite being somewhat heavy-handed in its meta-ness in regard to writing about what you know, nothing ever feels too on-the-nose. Max isn’t some over-the-top stereotype of a sexually adventurous gay man, nor is he shown as being manipulated by older men with more life experience. He is endearing in his ambition and willingness to explore his own pleasure and further his accomplishments whilst making deep and meaningful connections.

The film plays like a collage of beautifully intimate moments. Whether it’s an explicit scene of a male orgy, or one of Max’s solo commutes to work, Makela manages to expertly frame each scene in a way that conveys the loneliness and confusion of pursuing something that comes with certain professional and personal risks.

Sebastian is no “grand statement” or box office blockbuster, but it is a well-written, beautifully acted, poignant snapshot of a young queer mans life that does indeed feel “well observed and truthful”.

Sebastian is in UK cinemas now