Saint (1997)

Directed by: Bavo Defurne | 10 minutes | short film | Actors: Olaf Nollen, Alexis van Stratum, Moenen Erbuer, Emlie Ringoot, Dirk Delcourt, Stijn Wuyts, Robrecht De Roock, Christph Dierickx, Jose Enrique Oña, Boris Cukon, Samuel Derous, Jochim Noels, David Collard, Sven Boklandt, Christoph Cogge, Christophe de Laere, Bert Houbrechts, Raf Deckers, Pascal Placeman, Joop Haesen, Nico Bogaerts, Sven Sterken, Nathan Kennis

Like Apollo, Saint Sebastian is also an icon of the male nude in painting. No wonder Derek Jarman, an icon in gay cinema, was attracted to him and made his debut with ‘Sebastiane’ (1976). Saint Sebastian is seen as a martyr of the Christian faith; the Romans chase him to death with bow and arrow. Jarman turned it into a controversial film that was full of homoerotic symbolism. Flemish filmmaker Bavo Defurne was clearly influenced by Jarman’s film for his own version of the tragedy of Saint Sebastian, the ten-minute film ‘Saint’ from 1997. Olaf Nollen can be seen as Sebastian; when we see him for the first time, he knows his execution is near. What follows is a succession of fleeting shots in a relentless forest. The helpless look of Sebastian, hands tied above his head, anxiously awaiting his fate, the threatening presence of the archers preparing to fire their arrows. Do we see someone there who can lend a helping hand to the poor victim? Dialogues are not included; Defurne tells his story exclusively with looks and body language. Lots of close-ups of tense faces.

Color is not used here either, the film was shot in moody black and white. The image is grainy and not quite sharp. In an interview, Defurne explains that this is the case by chance. He had only recently graduated from the Film Academy and had nothing but a Super-8 camera at his disposal. The cast and crew consisted of friends (including cameraman Vincent Bal) and salaries were not distributed. Defurne developed the film himself. The result has something mysterious and moody that fits well with what we see portrayed, the passion of Saint Sebastian. Classic film makers such as Dreyer and Eisenstein are idols of Defurne, which is clearly visible here. ‘Saint’ is more of a work of art than a film. That makes it all the more clever that he manages to build up a certain tension. He not only works towards the impending execution of Sebastian, but also manages to convey a sense of longing in the eyes of the onlookers who want to see the verdict from the woods. In addition, the images are enhanced by an increasingly menacing soundtrack. You know what will happen (it will also be announced in the opening), yet Defurne manages to surprise his audience with the moment when the ‘redemption’ comes for Sebastian, making the impact of this small work of art even greater.