All of Derek Jarman's films have caused a stir, but Sebastiane, his first feature, caused riots at the 1977 Locarno Festival. Set on the sunny, sandy coastline of Sardinia, it is a homoerotic rendering of the legend of St. Sebastian-in Latin, with English subtitles. Sebastian spends much of the film tied to a stake, tormented by the sexual advances of his commander, while nude and nearly nude Roman soldiers engage in various playful skirmishes. “A glorious hymn to the toned yet very real, living, breathing, male body, this bold film is also a personal reclamation of gay history” (BFI).