Behind the Scenes: Jonathan Chekroune Shoots F1 Cast + Talks Mein Schatz
Kismet Director/DP Jonathan Chekroune, has garnered praise for his cinematic work on the official F1 featurette.
This behind-the-scenes piece by Entertainment Weekly, captures an intimate roundtable with stars Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Damson Idris, and Kerry Condon discussing the physical and emotional challenges of filming. Chekroune’s camera work brings clarity and emotion, matching the film’s high-speed intensity while giving audiences an authentic look at the actors’ experience.
Filmed on location at real Formula 1 events including the British Grand Prix, F1 brings an unprecedented level of realism to a fictional narrative. With Brad Pitt portraying a former driver returning to the grid and Javier Bardem playing a powerful team figure, the film anchors its high-speed energy in character-driven stakes. To support the film’s launch, Director/DP Jonathan Chekroune was brought on to shoot the official cast conversation, a cinematic featurette that goes beyond standard press footage.
This ability to bridge cinematic aesthetics and promotional storytelling is a signature of Chekroune’s work.
In the piece, Chekroune captures an unscripted roundtable between Pitt, Bardem, Idris, and Condon, where they reflect on the physical and emotional intensity of the shoot. Pitt opens up about navigating high-speed corners at 180 miles per hour, Bardem jokes about wanting to stay far from the driver’s seat, and Condon praises Kosinski’s calm under pressure. Chekroune’s lens brings out these moments with clear visual storytelling that echoes the film’s atmosphere while grounding the piece in authenticity.
The visual language of the F1 promo stands out for its fluidity and tone. Rather than rely on fast edits or formulaic formats, Director/DP Jonathan Chekroune emphasizes composition, pacing, and performance. He captures how the actors listen, reflect, and respond, which is especially important in a film where acting through helmets becomes central. The result feels like an extension of the film’s world rather than a typical behind-the-scenes segment.
This ability to bridge cinematic aesthetics and promotional storytelling is a signature of Chekroune’s work. With the F1 featurette reaching audiences across major media platforms, his contribution is resonating far beyond the edit room.
Outside of major studio campaigns, Director/DP Jonathan Chekroune continues to push his creative voice in independent work. His latest narrative short, Mein Schatz, explores themes of isolation, memory, and identity through a haunting visual lens. The story follows a reclusive, bandaged woman who begins to piece together a hidden truth about her past. Set entirely inside a dim Brooklyn apartment, the film uses space and atmosphere to mirror her unraveling state of mind.
The idea for Mein Schatz began with a recurring image Chekroune could not shake, which led him to collaborator and performance artist Inga Khurieva. After a series of visual tests, the team built the story from that central image outward. The finished short is minimal yet emotionally rich, offering a complete tonal contrast to the kinetic energy of F1 while remaining grounded in Chekroune’s sharp visual instincts.
Whether working on roundtables with Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem or inside intimate interiors on independent sets, Director/DP Jonathan Chekroune brings a focused and cinematic approach that prioritizes emotion, clarity, and visual storytelling. His work never distracts from the narrative but rather deepens the audience’s connection to it.
As Chekroune’s career continues to grow, his ability to move between high-profile productions and personal narrative work makes him one of the most versatile and thoughtful visual storytellers working today. With F1 reaching global audiences and Mein Schatz preparing for its festival run, Jonathan Chekroune is quickly becoming a name to watch in both commercial and independent film and we can’t wait to see more.