Sebastian Cort is a cinematographer working across narrative features and documentary.
His latest feature, Three Years Gone, directed by John Gutierrez and starring Julio Macias (On My Block) and Pepe Serna (Scarface), premieres at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival in Hollywood, May 2026. It marks his second feature with Gutierrez, following Sons of the Sea, which won Best South African Film at the Durban International Film Festival and premiered at Cinequest before competing at the Austin Film Festival.
Recent narrative credits include two features with director Michael Head: The Spin, an Irish road trip comedy starring Brenock O'Connor and Owen Colgan, which won Best Cinematography and Best UK Film at the West Lothian Film Festival, Best Feature Film at the British Film Festival, and Best Irish Feature Film at the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival; and Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire, starring John Hannah (Four Weddings and a Funeral) and Alan Ford (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels).
A long-standing collaborator with director Toby L, Sebastian lensed Blur: To the End, which world-premiered at Sheffield DocFest 2024 before theatrical release and broadcast on Paramount+ and Prime Video. Other collaborations include Liam Gallagher: Knebworth 22 and Rip Up the Road, the Foals documentary and the Rihanna tour documentary 777.
His documentary work spans true crime, geopolitics, and natural history. Credits include The Lie: The Murder of Grace Millane, a Sky Original and Dynamic Planet, NHNZ's four-part climate series for PBS, filmed across seven continents over three years in twelve indigenous languages and narrated by Cliff Curtis.
Earlier in his career, he worked in the camera department on Tomas Alfredson's Academy Award-nominated Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
His cinematographic style is rooted in documentary and enhanced naturalism, drawn to stories where people are caught between feelings, places or versions of themselves.
Born in the UK and raised in France, Sebastian lives in Los Angeles and works internationally.
FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS | OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
THREE YEARS GONE
Official Festival Selection:
LALIFF - Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival 2026
BLUR | TO THE END
Official Festival Selection:
Sheffield Doc Fest (Opening Night World Premiere)
Rolling Stones Awards
Sydney Film Festival (2024)
Doclisboa - Lisbon International Documentary Film Festival
British Film Festival
Milwaukee Film Festival (2025)
Theatrical Release:
UK and Irish cinemas July 2024,
distributed by Altitude
North American theatrical release via Greenwich Entertainment
MILK OF DREAMS | SHORT FILM
Awards:
'WINNER' 'Best Cinematography'
New Zealand Cinematographer Society - Silver Awards 2024
'Special Jury Award' Moving International Film Festival, Mexico
Official Festival Selection:
Torino Film Festival 2024
Bogota Experimental Film Festival 2024
Down Under Film Festival, Berlin
225 Film Club
THE SPIN | FEATURE FILM
Awards:
'Best Irish Feature Film (2024)' Dublin International Comedy Film Festival
'Best Feature Film' Istanbul International Spring Festival
'Best Feature Film' British Film Festival
'Best Cinematography' + 'Best Feature Film' + 'Best Soundtrack' + 'Best Editing' + 'Best Director' + 'Best Supporting Actress' + 'Best Actress'
West Lothian Film Festival
'Audience Award (2025)' Cinetopia Film Festival
Official Festival Selection:
Belfast Film Festival 2024
Dublin International Comedy Film Festival
Toronto Irish Film Festival
Chicago Irish Film Festival
Irish Film Festa
International FilmFest Bremem
Omaha Irish Film Festival
Cannes Marche du Film
SONS OF THE SEA | FEATURE FILM
Awards:
'WINNER' Best South African Film at Durban International Film Festival
Nominated 'Best Cinematography' at the New Zealand Cinematographer Society Awards 2022
Official Festival Selection:
Urbanworld Film Festival 2021
Cinequest Film Festival 2021
Durban International Film Festival 2021
NEW ZEALAND PARALYMPICS
Awards:
Nominated 'Best Cinematography' at New Zealand Cinematographer Society 2022
AXIS AWARD 2022 'BRONZE WINNER'
ADIDAS X ALL BLACKS & BLACK FERNS
Awards:
Nominated 'Best Cinematography' at New Zealand Cinematographer Society 2022
UPROAR | DOCUMENTARY
Awards:
"Winner 'Best Cinematography' Short Documentary at Central Film Festival
Official Selection:
Sheffield Doc Fest 2020
WOMEX Music Expo 2020
Durango International Film Festival 2021
Phoenix Shorts 2021
Directors Notes 2021
Beyond The Short 2021
Booooooom TV 2021
Film Shortage 2021
Wasted Talent Magazine 2021
Athen International Film + Video Festival 2021
BEYOND THE NORTH WINDS | A POST NUCLEAR REVERIE
Awards:
'Winner' Green Planet Award, First Prize, Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival
'Winner' Best Screenplay Prize at Poitiers Film Festival
'Nominee' Best British Short, London Critics' Circle Film Awards
'Nominee' Best Student Documentary, IDA Awards
Official Festival Selections:
Visions du Reel, Switzerland, April 2019
Edinburgh International Film Festival, UK, June 2019
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Czech Republic, July 2019
DMZ Docs, South Korea, Sep 2019
Poitiers Film Festival, France, Dec 2019
London Short Film Festival, Jan 2020
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, July 2020
Sundance Film Festival London, Aug 2020
Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, Aug 2020
BLIND BITTER HAPPINESS
Awards:
'Winner' Best Web Series at Oz Film Festival 2021
'Winner' Best Web Series at AFIN International Film Festival 2021
'Winner' Best Supporting Actress at Series Fest 2021
FIREFIGHTER DILEMMA
Awards:
Creativepool Silver Award for Best Production
TWILIGHT OF THE MASTERS
Official Festival Selections:
Film Festival Lille - Nominated for best short documentary
Internazionale Cinema d'Art - Nominated for best short documentary
Kaohsi Film Festival International Film Competition - Semi finalist for best short documentary
HOW I DIDN'T BECOME A PIANO PLAYER
Awards:
British Universities Film & Video Council Awards
* Premier Award
Royal Television Society Awards
* Best Postgraduate Drama
* Nomination for Best Postgraduate Craft Skills Editing
Aesthetica Short Film Festival
* Best Comedy
Molodist _ Kyiv International Film Festival
* Audience Award
* Special Award of the Jury
Aspen Shortsfest
* Audience Award
Gold Coast International Film Festival
* Runner up Audience Award for Best Short Film
Portland International Film Festival
* Runner up Audience Award for Best Short Film
Cleveland International Film Festival
* Honorable Mention for Best Student Short Film
* Honorable Mention Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film
Cinefiesta Italia in Santa Fe
* Best Up-and-Coming Director
Genova Film Festival
* Critics Award (National Union of Critics)
Visioni Italiane
* Best Film
* "Kinodromo" Award for Best Performances
Roma Creative Contest
* Best Italian Film
* Best Sound
Metricamente Corto Film Festival
* Audience Award
* Best Adapted Screenplay
Corto Dorico
* Audience Award
Roma Independent Film Festival
* Special Mention for Best Student Short Film
Euganea Film Festival
* "Giovani Monselice" Award
Taranto In Short
* Best Comedy
Social Plus Festival
* Best Short Film
Roma CinemaDoc
* Special Mention Scenography
Visioni Corte Film Festival
* Audience Award
Calgary International Film Festival
* Nomination for Best Short Film
Woodstock Film Festival
* Nomination for Best Short Film
Official selection:
Los Angeles Short Film Festival 2014
Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival 2014
Sapporo Short Film Festival and Market 2014
Heartland FIlm Festival 2014
Austin Film Festival 2014
Gold Coast International Film Festival 2014
Interfilm _ International Short Film Festival Berlin 2014
Foyle Film Festival 2014
Prague Short Film Festival 2015 (Open Ceremony)
Cork Film Festival 2014 (Post Primary Program)
Visioni Italiane 2015
Jameson Dublin International Film Festival 2015
Mecal _ International Short Film Festival of Barcelona 2015
Athens International Film + Video Festival 2015
Aspen Shortsfest 2015
Breaking Ground 2015
Bibbiena Film Festival 2015
Los Angeles Comedy Festival 2015
Festival Europeo PerCorti di Vita 2015
Reel Shorts Film Festival 2015
RIFF _ Roma Independent Film Festival 2015
Palm Springs International ShortFest 2015
Festival International de Contis 2015
Edinburgh International Film Festival 2015
Maremetraggio _ International ShorTS Film Festival 2015
Euganea Film Festival 2015
Flickers _ Rhode Island International Film Festival 2015
Seoul International Youth Film Festival 2015
Postira Seaside Film Festival 2015
Festival This Is England 2015
Genova Film Festival 2015
Taranto In Shorts 2015
Encounters Short Film & Animation Festival 2015
Settima 2015
Woodstock Film Festival 2015
Sedicicorto International Film Festival 2015
Calgary International Film Festival 2015
Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2015
Roma Creative Contest 2015
Roma CinemaDoc 2015
Visioni Corte Film Festival 2015
Shorts Attack 2015
Reggio Film Festival 2015
Kerry Film Festival 2015
Se77ima 2015
Mecal Chile _ Latin American Int'l Film Festival of Santiago de Chile 2015
Cinema Italian Style Los Angeles 2015
Molodist _ Kyiv International Film Festival 2015
Corto Dorico 2015
St Cloud Film Festival 2015
Zagreb Film Festival 2015
Boulder International Film Festival 2016
Cleveland International Film Festival 2016
uFilmFest 2016
Kinofilm _ Manchester International Short Film and Animation Festival 2016
Claremont Film Festival 2016
Metricamente Corto Film Festival 2016
Coronado Island Film Festival 2016
Portland International Film Festival 2016
Funcinema _ International Comedy Film Festival 2016
Skepto International Film Festival 2016
Funcinema _ International Comedy Film Festival 2016
Rocky Mountain Women's Film Institute _ Award Winning Shorts 2016
Cinefiesta Italia in Santa Fe 2016
Festival di Albano Laziale 2016
Stark County International Short Film Series 2016
Social Plus Festival 2016