Jonathan (2026)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

A mother travels by bus to find her son and mother. After years of separation as a result of the war, she remains hesitantly hopeful that she will be reunited with the ones she loves. Jonathan strongly expresses, however, that sometimes it’s not where you’re going, but rather the journey itself that’s most important. 

The sound design puts viewers in the shoes of our protagonist. The squeaking springs of the bus seats, the tires against the rocky road on which it travels, and the subtle (but equally as important) sounds of nature fill the screen. This is almost more important than the dialogue present in Jonathan, as it creates a sense of isolation that permeates the entirety of the film. The repetition of those sounds becomes strenuous, and it mirrors the emotional state of our lead—expressing to viewers how the long wait to see her family once again has worn on her, changed her. This aspect of the film is unrelenting, and Director Lieven Corthouts never offers viewers a break from the monotony and subtle torture. 

Similarly, Corthouts uses dense lighting to contort viewers’ perception of what is occurring on screen. Jonathan (with the exception of the opening scene) takes place entirely on the aforementioned bus—focused entirely on the lead’s actions. As the bus travels and the sun shifts in the sky, the light shone through the window alters viewers’ perspective. We’re blinded by the sun on occasion, and that forces viewers to avert their eyes, and to attempt to soak in the other aspects of the film (i.e. the aforementioned sounds). Corthouts does a splendid job of manipulating his audience, and forcing them to see and hear what he wants them to. 

By the end of the film Corthouts leaves us without answers, again manipulating viewers’ understanding of the narrative and the potential beyond the film. The question viewers have to repeatedly ask is whether or not this woman ever makes it back to her family, if she’s ever reunited with the ones she lost. We’re never given a definitive answer, and I’m not sure that Jonathan even points viewers in a specific direction. The blended harshness of the audio and visuals paired with the overall ambiguity of the film helps to find this short film success. 

In a film with a straightforward concept, Jonathan is all about perception: how we view the characters in the film, whether or not we believe the lead will make it back to her family, etc. In many ways Jonathan is a masterclass on how to grip your audience, how to both provide and withhold information, and how to use your technical prowess to shift the tone and mood of a production. I’ve mentioned Corthouts a multitude of times, but it’s only fair that he gets recognition for being able to appropriately blend styles and techniques to create something brilliant. 

Directed by Lieven Corthouts. 

Written by Lieven Corthouts, Nyawel Maluth Met, & Tsega Kiros Zebreabruk. 

Starring Nyawel Maluth Met, Annan Koffi Aketch, Winnie, Nyabile Biel, Joseph Jilloh Ruhusa, etc. 

7.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING