Experiencing Interruptions?

A Son's Wedding

Weddings aren’t always a day of joy. For parents, this day can be a mix of melancholy and happiness. There’s nothing that defines adulthood more than getting married. It is often then that a parent realizes that their son or daughter is truly no longer a child.

Elena Rojas—an actor on the rise—gives a deeply emotional performance as Eva, a mother who is facing the reality that her son Eric (Garbiel Rivas) has finally grown up. As Eric prepares to marry Lauren (Natalie Rose Miller), Eva worries if her relationship with her son will ever be the same.

Shot on beautiful Kodak 16mm in March of 2024, A Son’s Wedding takes us into the private world of a Hispanic mother deep in her feelings. Set in the present day at a Mission Style California wedding venue, this visually rich and understated short film pays homage to the character-driven stories of classic cinema.

After her son leaves to go prepare for his ceremony, Eva is left to wander the wedding venue alone with a box of Eric’s childhood photos. Eva longingly observes her son’s fiance, Lauren, interacting with her family and then has an awkward encounter with the mother-of-the-bride, Sara (Kim Reed). At the reception, this feeling of melancholy culminates when she watches a young couple (Alyona Khmara & Timothy Huls) fuss over their young son (Audrey Chase) at a banquet table. After frantically searching the venue for her son so she can offer him a plate of food, she stumbles upon a private moment between him and his new wife. Later, mother and son share a dance in the fading light of the reception, a moment that for Eva, softens her heart and reminds her of the fullness of her love.

With original music by Argentine composer Analia Lentini, A Son’s Wedding is a touching tale that allows us into the deep well of a mother’s heart.

  • Jonathan Cea
    Director
  • Jonathan Cea
    Writer
  • Darryl Jones
    Producer
  • Marc Estrada
    Producer
  • Elena Rojas
    Key Cast
    "Eva"
  • Gabriel Rivas
    Key Cast
    "Eric"
  • Natalie Rose Miller
    Key Cast
    "Lauren"
  • Andrea González Mereles
    Director of Photography
  • Kathryne Garrido
    Production Designer
  • Salina Hernandez
    Costume Designer
  • Analia Lentini
    Original Music
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 11 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    72,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    16mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.37:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Rehoboth Beach Film Festival 2024
    Rehoboth Beach, DE
    United States
    November 9, 2024
    Award Nominee
  • Newport Beach Film Festival 2024
    Newport Beach, CA
    United States
    October 21, 2024
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Jonathan Cea

Jonathan Cea is a Second-Generation Salvadoran American. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where he studied film at CSU Long Beach and graduated in 2018.

He has worked primarily in post production as an editor on documentary shorts and social videos for companies including FOX Sports and Netflix. He now works as a union assistant editor on scripted television, with credits including Mrs. Davis and Foundation.

This is Jonathan's first film as a writer/director.

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Director Statement

Of the many films made about weddings, most focus on the relationship between father and daughter. The aim of this short is to see the other important, though often neglected, family relationship, that of mother and son.

Inspired by events while attending my brother’s wedding, I sought to create a story that captured the same empathy I felt towards my mother on that day. I looked to the films of Yasujirō Ozu (An Autumn Afternoon), Edward Yang (Yi Yi) and Hirokazu Kore-eda (Still Walking) as a guide on how best to tell a family story visually, with an emphasis on facial expressions and body language over dialogue.

Coming from a Latin American background, I looked to explore some of the cultural clashes that can arise from an interracial marriage. A mother may fear her family losing their heritage by having a son marry outside their ethnicity. Also, as the bride’s family is traditionally more involved with wedding planning, there was an opportunity to examine how a mother may feel about being excluded from the process, while still also having to accept her new role in her son's life.

Throughout the process of making the short many narrative elements were welcomed from all departments. The finished film was deeply enriched by the extensive talks and workshopping with actors, camera, sound and producers, who all integrated their unique viewpoints into the story and shaped it in ways that I could not have done alone.

Hopefully viewers, and especially sons, may have a chance to reflect on their own relationship with their mothers after a viewing of A Son's Wedding.