Jessica

Joshua Kohler, class of 2000

Born on 30 October 2000 in Lausanne, Joshua Kohler grew up between his hometown and Catania. He was lucky enough to be able to travel around the world with his parents from an early age. He thus developed his curiosity and desire to discover new cultures, beliefs and landscapes. Thanks to his aunt, the photographer Jessica Hauf, he began to have his first direct contact with the art of imaging, from backstage to the final result.

At the age of 7, he played with his mother's video camera and enjoyed making films with his friends. Together with them he created a first zombie film, and was so entertained and excited that he decided he wanted to be a filmmaker for the rest of his life.

At only 17, after the difficult loss of his father, he decided to take his life into his own hands by starting a training in audio-visual in Lausanne. During this time, he shot his first short film, music clips and advertisements.

The training lasts two years. At the beginning of 2020, he has the opportunity to work as a cameraman for the Youth Olympic Games together with Van Wagner. He leaves immediately afterwards for Malta to study English. Here he also devotes himself to preparing his application for the Master's degree in Screenwriting at the London Film School. After being accepted by the school, he prepares to pursue his dreams and moves to London in September.

The situation in England is very difficult because of COVID, so in January, Joshua decides to move to Catania and finish his Master's degree 'in remote'. Here he takes the opportunity to shoot his first professional short film which focuses on prostitution. During this year, he developed a particular interest in photography.

At the beginning of 2022 he made a small documentary about a rope dancer in Stockholm. He recently participated in a 2-month workshop in filmmaking at the New York Film Academy based in Florence.

He is currently in Switzerland and working on further projects.

Artist statement: 

"If I had to think of a philosophy of life to believe in, I would not know what to say. I have my own way of living, perceiving and seeing life, but I would not know how to put into words the fire that burns in me. I do not live based on a philosophy or a precise intellectual concept, but I base myself on emotions, on what I concretely experience and feel.

If, as I have done in the past, I started to give weight to everything around me I would go crazy. We spend too much time thinking and talking about things external to us, but not enough time discussing who we are and how we came to be.

It is too easy to criticise events and people around us instead of looking in the mirror. We waste too much time on things that cannot be changed, as if we were pushing a wall hoping to move it.
I think taking one's life into one's own hands starts with self-awareness and understanding and accepting that we are not the centre of the world.

We cannot change a person because we don't like the way they are, how they think, or how they live their life. It is important to respect others and accept them as they are without wanting to change them.

I often use, to explain my thinking, the simile of an old man, sitting in a chair observing and criticising what is happening in front of him; like, for example, someone who is running in an odd way. How will that man feel, however, when he realises 'the odd one' has gone further than him who has meanwhile remained motionless in judgment?

That is why I prefer to take risks and make mistakes, in order to grow and move forward.

So I urge those around me: "Then do! Do and don't be afraid of being wrong, of your differences, of flaws, because it is normal to make mistakes, we are all human. Do not waste time complaining and brooding about things that happen to you, becausé you cannot change things outside of your control. Forget those who criticise you, think about you and use the time you have to build your own way."