Following his work with Ken Russell as production designer on The Devils, Derek Jarman made his debut as director with this story of the life of Saint Sebastian, the martyred roman soldier who was sent into exile and tortured. A poetic exploration of sexuality, the film is beautifully shot against a scorched desert landscape. The film earned a cult status after its release and when it was finally given a UK television broadcast ten years later, its depiction of male nudity and homoerotic content still proved controversial. Sebastiane set the tone for Jarman's uncompromising, highly personal and original style of filmmaking.