‘I Saw the Face of God in the Jet Wash,’ Cornwall, Callum Turner, Truth, and Super 8 Adventures: A Chat With Mark Jenkin

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Mark Jenkin, the filmmaker, prefers to keep things fresh and Cornwall-centric. His 2022 psychological horror drama, titled “Enys Men“, revolved around a wildlife volunteer residing on an island off the coast of Cornwall, whose study of a rare bloom takes a chilling turn into the mysterious and metaphysical. Similarly, his 2019 debut feature, “Bait“, delved into the strains between locals and tourists in a small fishing village nestled in Cornwall.

At this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, I attended the world premiere of an intriguingly titled 17-minute short film: “I Saw the Face of God in the Jet Wash.” Upon first glance, you might do a double take and rub your eyes before realizing it isn’t a typo.

Jenkin stated on the KVIFF website that he appreciates movies which emphasize their cinematic nature. The collection of Super 8 shots from his journeys, combined with extensive narration, creates a captivating tapestry of experiences, insights, notable quotes from films and other sources, and potentially imaginative scenarios. In this work, Jenkin showcases his skill in imbuing his films with an appealing, timeless feel and blending the familiar with the intriguingly mysterious. One hundred and one intriguing facts from the filmmaker’s journal.

In Karlovy Vary, Jenkin had a chat with THR about his roots from Cornwall, his artistic approach, facts versus truth in the era of Donald Trump, and his upcoming movie, “Rose of Nevada,” featuring George MacKay and Callum Turner.

In an interview, the filmmaker expressed his upbringing as strongly identifying as Cornish and viewing Cornwall as a distinct, ancient nation within Britain. However, he noted that this perspective isn’t widely recognized by many. He explained that unlike being Welsh, Scottish, or Irish, where there’s an inherent separation and unique identity, being Cornish requires more effort and vocal expression to set oneself apart.

Jenkin discovered this while leaving: “Living in Cornwall, I’d never considered myself Cornish. But as soon as I departed from Cornwall, crossed the border, and attended college in England, I suddenly felt like the most Cornish person on earth. Even after moving back home, I held onto that identity,” he shared with THR. “Additionally, I believe that in the kind of work I create, such as this short film, it seems so randomly scattered and disjointed. Something that ties everything together is necessary, and for me, that’s home.

Defining Cornishness can be tricky, Jenkin noted. While some might suggest tracing it back through family lineage, this could lead to complicated and uncomfortable situations about one’s true origin. Instead, he believes that it’s more about a shared cultural identity. This idea may be contentious because some argue that being born in Cornwall or having ancestors from there are essential for truly embodying Cornishness. However, Jenkin disagrees, stating that it’s more about adopting a certain mindset. There are people who have chosen to live there and feel a strong connection to the place due to its history, culture, language, and overall positive vibe.

A significant aspect of Cornish culture lies in its unique relationship with the rest of Great Britain. As Jenkin pointed out, it’s characterized by a deep sense of self-reliance, yet ironically, there is also a strong sense of unity among the community. There’s a powerful identity associated with being Cornish, much like being Scottish, Irish, English, or Welsh (although the ‘ish’ in Welsh is shortened). In essence, I believe there’s a healthy disregard for established authority.

As a passionate admirer, I’d like to share my perspective on the intricate balance of traits in Cornwall. While the strong individualism is undeniably one of its defining characteristics, it can also impede progress sometimes. For instance, we’ve never had a rich history of collective action, such as a robust union movement. Jenkin emphasized this point, stating that historically, our mindset has been one of complacency where everyone says, “We’re fine, we don’t need much.” We manage to get along, but when pushed to a certain limit, it can lead to unrest, and unfortunately, there’s not much constructive action in between.

Jenkin pointed out that there’s a deep sense of pride associated with the history of Cornwall, particularly its role in global industrialization, despite the acknowledged downsides. He explained, “Cornwall was once the epicenter of the industrial world for a while, which creates a lot of pride among its people. However, nowadays, Cornwall is often seen as just a holiday destination with beautiful beaches and traditional foods like pasties and cream teas. This oversimplified image doesn’t do justice to the rich, ancient history of Cornwall. So, in my work, I aim to add some balance by highlighting the complex, deeper aspects of Cornwall that are often overlooked.

Jenkin’s recent work showcases a vibrant, patchwork perspective of various locations he has traversed. So, what’s the secret behind this captivating creation? “The movie was essentially crafted from approximately 11 to 12 rolls of Super 8 film,” he explained. “Everything you see on those rolls is included in the final cut; I don’t edit or remove anything.” He also mentioned that his trusty Super 8 camera is always by his side, currently resting in the hotel room here in Karlovy Vary. Additionally, he has been filming there as well. Yesterday, and plans to shoot again this afternoon when the sun shifts position, offering those magical two hours of evening light that illuminate the surroundings so beautifully through the trees. He’s also wandered into the forest and got lost, a perfect opportunity for exploration. As soon as he arrived, he laced up his shoes and went for a run, which he finds is an excellent way to discover new places.

Each roll of Super 8 film lasts approximately 2.5 minutes, causing Jenkin to scan locations for interesting sights before capturing them on film. “I’ll record the parts that appeal to me,” he explained his method of recording and editing. “This way, I’ve already mentally edited what I want to film.” However, he doesn’t decide when and how to use the footage until later.

In his film “For I Saw the Face of God,” Jenkin utilized footage he captured in Dublin back in 2000, the Isle of Man approximately around 2016, multiple visits to Brittany spanning various years, and a few rolls from Los Angeles in 2023. Initially, he considered creating three distinct films; however, he later decided they would be more impactful if combined into one piece with a mysterious structure. The concept when he began editing was to introduce it as three independent chapters from his future autobiography. Consequently, the scenes he’s filming now will likely become part of another chapter in that book, but the specific placement is yet to be determined.

As a gamer immersed in my own digital realm, the line between reality and fantasy often blurs, intentionally so. “Sometimes, the scenes I capture here could find their way into my stories, truthfully recounting events like how I arrived at this event, or it might be a made-up tale about a childhood vacation here when I was seven, despite never having been here before,” I shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “Parts of it are factual, parts are utterly fictitious, parts are embellished. Some of it is revisited memories.

In this contemporary era marked by post-truth, how does this style of narrative filmmaking align? It’s like saying, “You gather data, but that’s factual information, not truth.” Fact and truth have contrasting qualities; fact is absolute, while truth is subjective. Frankly, facts seem less impactful these days, don’t they? However, I cling to the notion that subjective truth can sometimes differ from facts – a viewpoint perhaps reminiscent of certain political figures. Yet, let’s remember, facts remain facts, but the interpretation of truth can be flexible.

‘I Saw the Face of God in the Jet Wash’

In a recent interview with THR, Jenkins shared that the title of his upcoming project has a similar theme. The title of his latest delivered feature film is “Rose of Nevada“, which he described as another “free hit” since the title doesn’t have any specific meaning. Interestingly, the title refers to a fishing boat, and the film itself revolves around this vessel, serving as its narrative backbone. As Jenkins was brainstorming for a suitable title, he found it intriguing that the title could be anything, given that it only needed to be the name of the fishing boat. This allowed him to be as mysterious as he desired, which is a rare opportunity in naming films. Whenever he gets the chance, Jenkins takes advantage of this freedom to add an element of enigma to his titles.

Jenkin explained how he came up with the title “I Saw the Face of God in the Jet Wash.” He was on a plane heading to Ireland a few years ago, promoting his movie “Bait.” As he gazed out the window, he started writing thoughts in a notebook. One of the phrases that came to him was “I saw the face of god in the jet wash.” He found this intriguing and thought it would make a great title for a film, especially since it seemed like an unpublished autobiography. The title, he believed, was a lucky choice.

In “I Saw the Face of God,” isn’t there a scene where a boat appears on the horizon, and Jenkin mentions he was contemplating a movie? However, it turns out that the footage of the red boat was captured years before the concept of “Rose of Nevada” came to him. He had simply focused his camera on something interesting, using a slow, somewhat ominous zoom. Later, while editing the film, Jenkin realized that he recognized the shore in the footage. This made him think: “Wow, this is the difference between fact and truth.” Perhaps the truth is that when he saw the boat, it was the first time his mind unconsciously conceived the idea for “Rose of Nevada.” Yet, while making “I Saw the Face of God in the Jet Wash,” Jenkin could say that the idea for “Rose of Nevada” originated during that moment.

Jenkin remarked: “I’m currently working on a draft titled ‘Rose of Nevada’. It’s intriguing to me if someone notices this piece, and I’m pleased that you did.

Jenkin hasn’t said much about the film “Rose of Nevada” yet, but he did share that it’s a time-travel ghost ship movie starring George and Callum, and there will be more actors joining in soon.)

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2025-07-17 11:55