Iconic Performer Francois Sagat Directs New Tom of Finland Movie

Three years after emerging from a five-year retirement from the adult industry, the iconic French star Francois Sagat has moved behind the camera, to co-direct an innovative new picture inspired by the groundbreaking work of the legendary creator of erotic gay comic books, Tom of Finland. The movie will be the latest in the Tom of Finland series produced by Men.com. The artist, whose given name was Touko Valio Laaksonen and who died in 1991 at the age of 71, was one of the most influential figures in the creation of modern gay porn. His artwork was so innovative in its bold depictions of hyper-masculine homoerotica that “Tom” has since gained recognition outside of the adult industry, with a stage musical and film based on his life debuting in his native Finland in 2017. Laaksonen is now considered a “Finnish hero” as a “fighter for his own uniqueness,” according to an NBC News report on the musical.  The new Men.com production, Tom of Finland: Future Erotica, was co-directed by Sagat and Alter Sin. Through a blend of live action and surreal digital animation, the work explores how the artist’s legacy will influence—as the title implies—gay erotica in the future, while previous entries in the series were period pieces, depicting Laaksonen’s influence on past generations, and the present one. Sagat’s fans will be pleased to know that he also takes a starring role in the movie, in addition to his work as co-director, alongside co-stars DeAngelo Jackson, Ty Mitchell and Mickey Taylor. The animated versions of the performers were created by artist Jason Ebeyer. The movie, of course, was completed prior to the current shutdown of adult production due to social distancing measures designed to curb spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The company recently launched a promotion via its Twitter account to reward fans for following social distancing guidelines with a free, one-year membership to the site. Tom of Finland: Future Erotica debuts on Friday, May 8. A trailer may be viewed at this link.  Photo By Arno Roca / Wikimedia Commons