Jonathan Kovel has been living and working in Johannesburg for eighteen years. Having a started in film in New York, where he graduated from Columbia University Film School, he is now firmly ensconced in the South African film and television industry. Fluent in French, as well as semi-fluent in Spanish, he has shot all over the world, including: Canada, Mexico, Peru, Curaçao, Ireland, France, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Swaziland, Nigeria, Kenya, Malaysia, and Indonesia. In South Africa he has shot commercials for Freshwater, Picture Tree, Fresh Eye, Catapult, and Velocity among others. He has recently shot and directed several commercials for Alison Productions in Kenya. He has done numerous local and international documentaries, including Keep the River on your Right, winner of best film at Amsterdam’s IDFA film festival; 28 Up South Africa for ITV and Al Jazeera; and Miners Shot Down, winner of best documentary at the 2015 International Emmy’s. His narrative work ranges from television dramas for Quizzical Pictures, Ochre Media, Bomb Shelter, and Penguin Films, to feature films for Palama Pictures, Roguestar Films, and Little Bird Productions. He has shot a feature film in Dublin, Ireland for Newgrange Pictures, Happy Ever Afters, starring Golden Globe winning actress Sally Hawkins; and a local feature, Of Good Report, for director Jahmil Qubeka and Spier Films, which played to great critical acclaim at the Toronto, London, and Chicago Film Festivals, and won best film at the 2014 SAFTAS and 2014 AMAA’s in addition to opening the 2013 Durban International Film Festival. He also shot the feature films Ayanda and Dis Ek Anna for director Sara Blecher. Ayanda opened the 2015 Durban International Film Festival and Dis Ek Anna won best feature film at the 2016 SAFTAS. His most current work includes Sew the Winter to My Skin, also for director Jahmil Qubeka, which won the 2019 SAFTAS for best feature film; four Netflix commissioned films for director Kunle Afolayan, including Citation and Anikulapo; and several projects for Amazon Prime such as La Femme Anjola and Pou (The Peacock).