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The Global Search for Education: Director Kyle Wyborski on Jesus Thief — A Story of Youth, Morality, and Faith

3 min readMay 23, 2025

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This month, audiences can stream Jesus Thief, a powerful short film written and directed by Kyle Thomas Wyborski, now available on the Planet Classroom Network. The film is curated by Planet Classroom.

Set in a strict Catholic school, Jesus Thief explores childhood morality, peer pressure, and the emotional weight of guilt. The story follows Daniel, a young boy pressured by classmates into stealing the baby Jesus from the class nativity scene. As he grapples with his conscience, the film raises powerful questions about innocence, belief, and belonging.

With striking still shots, traditional visual composition, and standout performances from Wyatt Minnick and Noah Jasso, Jesus Thief is both emotionally reflective and cinematically mature. Wyborski draws on themes rarely explored in youth-centered narratives — religion, shame, and moral awakening — to deliver a short film that resonates deeply with audiences of all ages.

The Global Search for Education is honored to welcome Director Kyle Wyborski.

Kyle, what inspired you to explore themes of religion and morality in Jesus Thief?
At the most basic level, I suppose my decision stems from the fact that these themes are not especially common in children’s entertainment. While religion and morality are central in more “grown-up” films like The Godfather or Goodfellas, they’re rarely discussed openly in stories about kids. That’s strange to me — most of us are raised with some ethical or religious framework, and children, especially, have questions about these things.

I believe the lessons we absorb in childhood continue to shape our character for life. So I thought it would be compelling to explore how young people wrestle with questions about God, salvation, and right and wrong. These aren’t just “grown-up” themes — they help us understand ourselves and the world around us.

Was there symbolic meaning behind choosing the baby Jesus statue as the object taken?
Definitely. On a surface level, the idea of stealing the baby Jesus from a nativity scene is already pretty scandalous. For Christian audiences, Jesus is a sacred figure, so the act immediately feels like a serious transgression.

But on a deeper level, there’s irony and symbolism. Jesus Thief is about a boy’s moral awakening. If we consider Jesus as a moral teacher, then it’s ironic that Daniel’s ethical clarity comes only after stealing His image. In a metaphorical sense, Daniel “steals” Christ — and in doing so, he learns true Christian morality.

Why did you choose to use still shots, and how did that decision help convey the story’s message?
Since the film centers around children, I wanted the visual style to reflect a kind of innocent simplicity — straightforward and unpretentious. I thought a lot about children’s drawings — how they’re often flat and minimal but still filled with emotion.

I was also influenced by directors like Carl Dreyer and Robert Bresson, who helped pioneer Transcendental Cinema. This style often has religious connotations and aims to put the audience in a more meditative, reflective state. Still shots give viewers space to think and feel. In Jesus Thief, they allow Daniel’s internal struggle to unfold slowly and thoughtfully — creating space for the audience to reflect on what’s right and wrong along with him.

What message do you hope audiences take away from Daniel’s journey?
If I had to distill it into one line, it would be: A person must choose to do the right thing, even when it means suffering for it.

The film doesn’t offer easy answers, but it does ask audiences to reflect on what integrity really means — especially in the face of peer pressure, fear, or guilt. In that way, I hope it sparks deeper conversations about personal responsibility and the quiet moments that define our moral compass.

Thank you, Kyle!

C.M. Rubin and Kyle Wyborski

Don’t miss Jesus Thief, now streaming on the Planet Classroom Network. This thought-provoking film is curated by the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival for Planet Classroom.

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