Jonas is a portrait of my brother and his battle with schizophrenia. The film works to examine his illness, its origins, and how it affects his life. The film navigates between past and present, surveying the period of Jonas's initial breakdown as well as observing his life now; medicated, banal, marginalized, and unfulfilled. We also examine how Jonas feels about his illness. Because of his medication, he is lucid, articulate and seemingly normal. But of course, his illness is still present and affects his thinking and reasoning. He still lives with our parents, and at 34, is somewhat embarrassed and angry about this situation. He works with our father, who is a farmer, but does not want that to be his identity. Nor can he be identified simply as schizophrenic. So the central question becomes, can he find an identity he can embrace?
$1.99 |
Amazon Video on Demand
Length: 46:00 Posted: 9/2/2009
