François Sagat

François Sagat

François Sagat at the Folsom Street Fair in 2009
Born 5 June 1979
Cognac, Charente
Ethnicity French
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight 182 lb (83 kg)
Website
http://www.francoissagat.com

François Sagat (born 5 June 1979) is a French male gay pornographic film actor, model and director who has also appeared in mainstream media. He is best known for his rugged looks and scalp tattoo.[1][2] He has appeared at times as a fashion model and starting 2009, he appeared in cinematic roles in films for the general public including Saw VI (2009) and lead roles in L.A. Zombie (2010) and Man at Bath (2010). In 2011, he started directing and producing with the François Sagat's Incubus adult film series. In 2013, he launched his fashion line KICKSAGAT and announced his retirement from porn.

Beginnings

François Sagat was born in Cognac, in the south-west of France to French parents of Slovak ancestry.[3] Sagat moved to Paris at the age of eighteen, hoping to work in the fashion industry.[1] Since childhood, Sagat had been fascinated by fashion and passionate about drawing. After studying fashion for two years in Paris and working briefly as an assistant in various fashion houses, Sagat left the profession. In an interview, Sagat said that he was about 23 years old at the time,[4] and that he had known people like Karl Lagerfeld and Mario Testino.[4] He believed that there he had little experience in fashion, did not speak English very well and was unsure about the work.[4] He felt that he had not been given the opportunities he deserved, and has claimed that it actually cost him money to work in the fashion industry, since he was often not paid for his work.[5] He did photographic work for several French companies, but felt he was poorly treated and put his career in front of the camera on hold.[1]

Career in adult films

François Sagat for L.A. Zombie shooting, Los Angeles

At the age of twenty-five, François Sagat was contacted by a French pornographic studio called Citébeur. He accepted their offer and, a few weeks later, performed in his first adult film under the screen name Azzedine.[1] It became an instant success, and Sagat decided to seek a full-time job in the porn industry.

After several films with Citébeur as Azzedine, he was invited to move to the USA and, there, shot his first scene for the porn film Arabesque by Raging Stallion Studios[1] using his birth name François Sagat.

He stayed with Raging Stallion Studios for 2005–2006 before becoming an exclusive porn star at Titan Media in 2007 doing films for the TitanMen series. After briefly retiring from the adult industry, he staged his comeback in late 2008 and has appeared in the TitanMen video, Full Access, in a scene with fellow porn star Matthew Rush.

As a pornographic actor, he was both top and bottom and also performed BDSM. Although known primarily for his gay movies, he has also appeared in a few bisexual scenes, most notably in the film Gay Arab Club.

In November 2011, Titan Media announced that Sagat would return to adult films as a performer, and as a director and producer.[6] His film François Sagat's Incubus was released in two parts, with part one released in December 2011 and part two in March 2012. On his blog, Sagat recounted the making of the film in clips he shot on set.[7]

In April 2012, Sagat traveled to Brasilia in Brazil,[4] where he held a series of shows in one event at a nightclub. Sagat recreated a sex scene from his film Incubus with Brazilian model Lucas Fox and other French actors.[4]

Film directing

In October 2011, Sagat completed production and filming of his two-part porn film series Incubus for TitanMen. The film acts as Sagat's first foray into filmmaking as writer/director/producer.[8] Production on the film(s) began in 2010.[9] Incubus – Part One was released in December 2011 as TitanMen's 'holiday film'.[8] ParouTudo announced that Incubus – Part Two was expected to be released in March 2012.[10] In support of the film, TitanMen created, and in November 2011 released, a 33-minute 'making of' documentary showing scenes from the film and sharing Sagat's processes as it was being made.[11]

Career in non-pornographic films

Sagat in the lead role in L.A. Zombie (2010)
Sagat at the Folsom Street Fair 2006, San Francisco

Sagat has been involved in non-adult film releases and developed an acting career.

In 2009, he appeared in the role of a male addict in Saw VI, the sixth installment of the Saw film series directed by Kevin Greutert. Based on this success,[12] in 2010, he appeared in another horror movie directed by Bruce LaBruce in the lead role in L.A. Zombie where he plays role of a homeless schizophrenic man who thinks he's an alien zombie sent to earth, roaming the streets of Los Angeles trying to bring the dead back to life by engaging in homosexual sex.[13]

He appears in the lead role in Homme au bain (in English Man in Bath) directed by Christophe Honoré. He plays the role of Emmanuel, a gay hustler living with his lover. After a quarrell between the two, Emmanuel is left brokenhearted to fend for himself as Omar makes his way to Manhattan. The film separately follows the two men, discovering how their heartbreak gives way to fresh outlooks and doleful acceptance. Director Christopher Honoré told French gay website Yagg.com that he was interested in Sagat because he "redefines the notion of masculinity".

Both L.A. Zombie and Homme au bain premiered at Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland in 2010, making François Sagat the only actor with two lead roles featured in two competition entries during the festival.[14] L.A. Zombie was also due to be screened during the Melbourne International Film Festival in Australia but was banned due to a ruling by Australia's Film Classification Board. In their opinion the film would be refused classification.[15]

In popular culture

Sagat is known for his distinctive scalp tattoo.[16] In a recent interview he explained that his hair began to thin out a few years ago and he felt that his head was too long and disproportional. In order to make his cranium appear more symmetrical, he decided to get a tattoo that gave the illusion of a hairy scalp. He also added perpendicular lines in appreciation of hip hop style.[2][16] He has another, equally distinctive tattoo: a combination of a sickle moon and star reminiscent of flags on some Arab country flags. He explained that he loves Arab men and that the tattoo is his tribute to those people and to the cultures he admires and respects.[16] He has a third tattoo, on his left arm which is his surname in Greek letters ΣΑΓΑΤ (read SAGAT).

Documentaries

In 2007, he appeared with other personalities in Olivier Nicklaus documentary about nudity in culture entitled La nudité toute nue. The documentary was broadcast on Canal+ and other mainstream television channels.

In March 2011, a documentary entitled Sagat: The Documentary premiered on Canal+, a joint Brenda & Lucy Co./ADL TV/Canal+ production exploring the Sagat personna and phenomenon on world culture trends.

Public awareness

Sagat is involved in public awareness campaigns. In 2009, with the initiative of French gay site Yagg.com and INPES, the French National Institute for Prevention and Health Education (In French: Institut national de prévention et d'éducation pour la santé), Sagat made an advertisement entitled Je mets une capote et du gel that was first broadcast on the World AIDS Day, where he appears nude showing a simple way of using condom and lubricant.

Marketing, fashion and music

Sagat keeps an active blog,[17] where he explores his creativity in diverse and intimate ways, showing in addition to promotional materials, his art work, intimate looks into his personal life, video takes on various topics, and personal renditions of favorite lyrics from chosen songs.

Sagat adult toys were marketed including dildos made from an exact molding of Sagat's genitalia with realistic veins, glans and foreskin.[18]

Sagat is involved in fashion. When German designer Bernhard Willhelm launched his first menswear collection during Paris Fashion Week, he chose Sagat to promote the event.[19] This turned into a series François Sagat Classics wear.[20] Selected photographs of collaboration and inspired by work of Peter Berlin also appeared as calendars. The series was photographed by Lukas Wassmann.[21] Sagat has also worked with the French fashion label Fade. He was involved in designing clothing and accessories used in his two-part series François Sagat's Incubus. Sagat is known as an erotic artist and draftsman.[22]

Sagat is involved in fashion photoshoots. American fashion photographer Terry Richardson made a short portrait of Sagat. In a military-themed photoshoot, Richardson shows Sagat in various poses wearing the US stars and stripes, or toying with American military accessories and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" written on his buttocks.[23]

In March 2012, he launched a musical project entitled Hadès with Sylvia Gobbel, a muse of the late photographer Helmut Newton. Hadès is directed by French Photographic Heritage-awarded Franck Glenisson with symphonic music arranged by Hedayat. The project incorporates a song, a film and 16 erotic photographs of Gobbel and Sagat. The music video debuted in March 2011. Since 2013, Sagat announced his own on-line clothing brand of streetwear, sportswear, underwear and accessories named KICKSAGAT in association with workpartner PH. Sagat did all the designing.

Retirement

In Spring 2013, Sagat released a short 13-second shot in black and white video standing in front of the Disney Magic Kingdom saying: "Hello, I'm Franços Sagat, and from this day forward, I've retired from porn."[24][25] In a May 2013 interview given to the news site Queerty.com, Sagat revealed that he had retired two years earlier, with the Incubus series being his last films.[25]

Personal life

Sagat is openly gay.[26] He was in a relationship with well-known European porn star Francesco D'Macho.[27] The two have since separated. In a January 2009 interview, Sagat revealed that he resided in Toronto for more than six months while shooting scenes for the movie Saw VI.[28] However, the actor is currently living in France.[4]

When in Brazil, Sagat told his desire to be in a serious relationship. Asked if he had relationships with someone from work, Sagat said "No. I had an actor in Paris that I really liked and so. But the fact that we had already worked together broke the magic." Sagat dated another porn star, Francesco D'Macho, but in the interview he did not cite anyone in particular.[4]

When acting in films, the actor said that he prefers to be top, it feels more comfortable that way. In personal life he enjoys both top and bottom, claiming to be obsessed with asses.[4]

Discography

Singles

Filmography

Non-pornographic

Documentaries
Films
Shorts
Television series
Advertisements / Public awareness
Music Videos

Pornographic

Director / Producer

Actor

Citébeur
  • 2005: Wesh Cousin 5 – Relax man (featuring the first porn video of François Sagat)
  • 2005: Wesh Cousin 6 – Cho bouillants
  • 2005: Univers Black 1 – Matos de blackoss (at UniversBlack.com associated with Citébeur)
  • 2006: Wesh Cousin 7 – C'est d'la balle
Diapopic
  • 2005: François Sagat : Le DVD
  • 2005: Pompiers mis à nu
  • 2005: Pompiers mis à nu 2
Raging Stallion
  • 2005: Manifesto
  • 2005: Hard As Wood
  • 2005: Knight After Night
  • 2005: Hole Sweet Hole
  • 2006: Bedroom Eyes
  • 2006: Manhattan
  • 2006: Fistpack 7: Twist My Arm
  • 2006: Fistpack 8 : Elbow Room
  • 2006: Centurion Muscle II – Alpha
  • 2006: Escape From San Francisco
  • 2006: Tough As Nails
  • 2006: Arabesque
  • 2006: Lebanon (or Collin O'Neal's World of Men: Lebanon)
  • 2006: Humping Iron
  • 2006: Stretch
  • 2006: Apex
  • 2007: Best in Hole
  • 2007: Instinct
  • 2007: Boners
  • 2007: The Best of François Sagat – Volume 1
  • 2007: The Best of François Sagat – Volume 2
  • 2008: The Best of François Sagat – Volume 3
  • 2008: Hairy Boyz 10
  • 2009: Piss Off : Hardcore Fetish Series: Pissing #1
  • 2009: Muscle Studs 2
  • 2009: Fistpack 24: The Best of François Sagat: Fisting
  • 2010: Hairy Boyz 15
  • 2010: Inked Boyz 2
Titan Media
  • 2007: Stretch
  • 2007: Folsom Leather
  • 2007: Shacked Up
  • 2007: H2O
  • 2007: SPY Quest 3
  • 2007: Breathless
  • 2007: Folsom Filth
  • 2008: Telescope
  • 2008: Breakers
  • 2008: Fear
  • 2008: Double Standard
  • 2008: Telescope
  • 2008: P.O.V.
  • 2008: Funhouse
  • 2009: OverDrive
  • 2009: Full Access
  • 2010: Search and Rescue
  • 2010: Thrust
  • 2011: François Sagat's Incubus – Part 1
  • 2012: François Sagat's Incubus – Part 2
Falcon Studios
  • 2009: Ringside
Overload Releasing
  • 2010: Cock Hungry Dick Pigs!

Awards

Wins
  • 2006: Best European actor at the David Awards[31][32]
  • 2007: Best Performer of the Year at the GayVN Awards
  • 2008: Best Threesome Performance at European Gay Porn Awards (together with Steve Cruz & Rocky Torrez in H2O)[33][34]
  • In 2010, he won the award for Best Hair at TLA Gay Awards 2010[35]
  • In 2011, he won the award for Best European performer at HustlaBall Award[36][37]
Nominations

François Sagat has been nominated for many GayVN and Grabby Awards.

  • 2006: Best Duo Sex Scene (small>(shared with Huessein) for Arabesque (at the Grabby Awards)
  • 2007: Best Performer, Best Bottom, Best Solo Sex Scene (for Manhattan), Best Duo Sex Scene (shared with Kyle Lewis) for Bedroom Eyes, Best Three-Way Sex Scene (shared with Collin O'Neal and Jacko) for Lebanon at the Grabby Awards
  • 2008: Best Threesome (shared with Brendan Davies and Rick Van Sant) for Folsom Leather at GayVN Awards

Awards
Preceded by
Gus Mattox		 GayVN Awards for Performer of the Year
2007 		Succeeded by
Jake Deckard

See also

Notes

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Evers, Rob (6 September 2007). "François Sagat: The Man Behind the Mask Part 1". Beautiful Mag. Retrieved 13 July 2006.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mikey (7 September 2007). "Starr Profile: Francois Sagat". Starrfucker(Jeremy Lucido). Retrieved 9 September 2006.
  3. ↑ "Porno: François SAGAT: Interview exclusive". LaLucarne.org (in French). 24 March 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Marra, Pedro (16 April 2012). "Entrevista: no backstage com François Sagat em Brasília". Paroutudo.com. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  5. ↑ Evers, Rob (21 July 2006). "François Sagat: The Man Behind the Mask Part 3". Beautiful Mag. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  6. ↑ "Your first look at François Sagat's 'Incubus'". Francois Sagat (Official website). 28 October 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Making The Rope Scene from Incubus – part ii". Francois Sagat (Official website). 1 February 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Katz, Lyla (28 October 2011). "TitanMen Wraps Filming of Francois Sagat's 'Incubus'". XBiz. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  9. ↑ staff, Portuguese (16 February 2012). "François Sagat: "Imagino o carnaval carioca como uma viagem de LSD"". Globo. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  10. ↑ Morais, Leandro (9 March 2012). "Astro pornô François Sagat é atração da Festa Fun Sexo". ParouTudo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  11. ↑ Katz, Lyla (14 November 2011). "TitanMen Releases 'Making of Incubus' Documentary Excerpt". XBiz. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  12. ↑ Donzel, Maxime (13 August 2010). "François Sagat: From Gay Porn to Auteur Cinema". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  13. ↑ LaCroix, Ethan (24 October 2011). "Franois Sagat". Time Out. New York: Time Out Group Limited. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  14. ↑ Eye Weekly: Swiss Choice
  15. ↑ Kalina, Paul (21 July 2010). "Gay zombie porn gets festival flick". The Age (Melbourne). Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Evers, Rob (7 September 2007). "François Sagat: The Man Behind the Mask Part 2". Beautiful Mag. Retrieved 14 July 2006.
  17. ↑ Entries in his personal blog at Francois Sagat official website
  18. ↑ "Toys For Big Boys". Francois Sagat (Official website). 2 December 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  19. ↑ François Sagat for Bernhard Willhelm
  20. ↑ CatchFire: François Sagat Classics (V): Bernhard Willhelm SS 2008
  21. ↑ Ethan says: François Sagat for Bernard Wilhelm
  22. ↑ Interview magazine: Francois Sagat, Uncut – an interview by Thomas Persson
  23. ↑ François Sagat Photoshoot by Terry Richardson)
  24. ↑ "Francois Sagat Says Adieu to Porn". Queerty. 14 May 2013.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "Francois Sagat Opens Up on Gay Porn Suicides And Why He Quit The Business". Queerty. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  26. ↑ Francois Sagat: Straight Or Gay?. Tim and Roma show. 21 September 2007. Event occurs at 0:39. Retrieved 2 August 2009. ROMA: 'I didn't know you were straight.' SAGAT: 'No.' ROMA: 'Oh, you tease. These are fake!' SAGAT: 'No, I'm 200% gay. 200% gay.'
  27. ↑ Payne, James (13 August 2007). "Only The Very Best of Francois Sagat". Fleshbot. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
  28. ↑ JustUsBoys.com Magazine
  29. ↑ "Hades – Sylvia Gobbel + Francois Sagat (Music video – Censored)". YouTube. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  30. ↑ iTunes: Hadès – Single – Sylvia Gobbel & François Sagat
  31. ↑ Lawrence, Doug (1 November 2006). "Europe's David Awards Commence". AVN. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  32. ↑ Remington, Chad (23 October 2007). "Controversy Erupts at David Awards". AVN. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  33. ↑ "2008 European Gay Porn Award Winners Announced". AVN Gay News. 19 May 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  34. ↑ Adams, JC (19 May 2008). "Full List of 2008 EGPA Winners". Gay Porn Times. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  35. ↑ Gay Porn Times: TLA Gay Awards report
  36. ↑ Adams, JC (22 October 2011). "Sagat, Agassi Take Top Hustlaball Awards". Gay Porn News. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  37. ↑ "HustlaBall Award – History – 2011 Winners". SMB-Berlin Events GmbH. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.

External links