Sebastian Cort is an international award-winning cinematographer. His first feature film ‘SONS OF THE SEA’, shot in Cape Town, WON ‘Best South African Film’ at the Durban International Film Festival. Having studied at the renowned National Film & Television School in the UK, his graduation film ‘HOW I DIDN'T BECOME A PIANO PLAYER’ won 25 awards, was nominated for a further 3 awards and was officially selected in 67 film festivals.
Sebastian has been mentored by cinematographers Phil Méheux (Casino Royal, Golden Eye, The Mask of Zorro), Brian Tufano (Trainspotting, Billy Elliot, A Life Less Ordinary) and tutored by Sean Bobbitt (12 Years a Slave, Shame, Hunger). Sebastian takes great care in mentoring others himself, advocating for a diverse and well-rounded crew.
Having grown up in France to English parents, Sebastian has lived in the UK, Spain, Germany, South Africa, New Zealand and has traveled the world a couple of times over. He has served as a committee member of the New Zealand Society of Cinematographers. Sebastian integrates his passion for cultures and unique experiences to tell stories from underrepresented voices from around the world.
Sebastian feels closest to stories that question a sense of belonging, providing a window into the psyche and offering new perspectives to inspire us to grow as humans. His personal approach to cinematography is to intuitively tap deep into the sensitivities of the subjects, cultivating a space for them to deliver their best performance in front of the lens. He makes himself and the cameras a conduit for the audience, being intuitively aware of the effects of the observer.
Sebastian holds an O-1 visa to work in the USA, Advanced Dive PADA, Power Boat level 1+2, and has sailed halfway around the world.
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FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS | OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
SONS OF THE SEA | FEATURE FILM
Awards:
'WINNER' Best South African Film at Durban Internationa Film Festival 2021
Nominated 'Best Cinematography' at the New Zealand Cinematographer Society Awards 2022
Official Festival Selection:
Urbanworld Film Festival 2021
Cinequest Film Festival 2021
Durban Internationa Film Festival 2021
NEW ZEALAND PARALYMPICS
Awards:
Nominated 'Best Cinematography' at New Zealand Cinematographer Society 2022
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 2021
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