Joël Jent was born in Switzerland in 1983. He grew up in a Christian cult. The day he turned 18 he packed his belongings in a bag, threw it on his motorcycle and took off into an uncertain future. He pursued a program of study in film, political science and social history at University of Zurich, which he completed in 2010 (Master of Arts). He then worked briefly as a journalist. Since 2003, Joël Jent has written THE BLIND FERRYMAN (2024), EATING THE SILENCE (2021), WINDOWLESS (2019) and produced several short- and feature films (THE SAINT OF THE IMPOSSIBLE, BAGHDAD IN MY SHADOW, FACING MECCA, BON VOYAGE, IRAQI ODYSSEY). He directs documentary and fiction, i.e. EATING THE SILENCE, VIVRE LE PIANO and DÉSAMOUR and is a winner of the SSA grant (Société Suisse des Auteurs). Joël Jent is a member of the European- and the Swiss Film Academy and alumnus of IDFA Project Space (2025), IDFAcademy (2024), EsoDoc European Social Documentary (2023), the Hezayah Screenwriting Lab (2021) and Cannes Producer on the Move Program (2016). He is father to one son and works as an independent filmmaker and screenwriter in Zurich. His future is still uncertain.
