When one young man’s estranged dead mother becomes reincarnated in the body of his pet goldfish, he must set aside his grievances to help his fish/mom fulfill her final wish: attending the Mother’s Day dance.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Jeremy Hsing

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

My co-creator Patrick and I watched Everything Everywhere All at Once and were inspired by how the film used magical realism to explore intergenerational healing through the intersectional lens of the LGBTQ and AAPI communities. We used the film as our north star to craft our own unique story centered around a son and his pet goldfish mom.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Fish was a labor of love that was deeply collaborative from pre-production to post. It features a deliberate color palette that evolves throughout the film to convey the psychology of the protagonist's inner state. It has moments that will make you laugh out loud, but has an emotional undercurrent that will compel you to think about its themes long after the credits roll.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Themes that we explore are: magic exists in the mundane, loss is natural and normal, and love comes from within.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Patrick and I knew from the beginning that we wanted to have an absurdist concept but take it seriously as part of the real world. Originally we thought about using a cat or a dog to inhabit the mother's soul, but ultimately decided to use a goldfish so that we wouldn't have to hire an animal wrangler.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Wescreenplay Shorts Contest 2022: “Fish puts forward a fun and heartwarmingly unique concept… through unexpected but truly entertaining and meaningful visuals.”

Our short was also chosen as Best Fantasy Short and Honorable Mention for Best Original Story and Best Actor at the Independent Shorts Awards.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

We hope to place it in film festivals and get distribution so that Fish can be seen by as many people as possible.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

With an onslaught of anti-LGBT and anti-AAPI rhetoric and actions emanating from the government and the public, it is more important than ever to amplify the stories from these communities. Film, being an agent of empathy, humanizes its subjects, thus promoting tolerance, love, and pride. In sharing this story with the world, we hope to catalyze healing and loving.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

What would you do if you had a second chance to reconcile with your estranged mother?

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you for spotlighting our little ol' film!

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Patrick Zhang and Jeremy Hsing are producing a new short titled Forward Thinking that follows a black man as he seeks the assistance of a trademarking agency to prepare for his inevitable encounter with the police.

Jeremy Hsing is also co-writing a romantic feature titled Wings Only You Can See and developing two humanistic sci-fi pilots titled Dreamwalker and In My Heaven All Faucets Are Fountains.

Interview: March 2023

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Fish

Length: 14:23

Director: Jeremy Hsing

Producer: Victoria Wang, Grace Leahy, Patrick Zhang, Jeremy Hsing

Writer: Patrick Zhang and Jeremy Hsing

About the writer, director and producer:

JEREMY HSING is a humanistic sci-fi writer, mental health advocate, and second-gen Taiwanese immigrant based in LA. A Get Lit Screenwriters Lab Fellow, RespectAbility Entertainment Lab TV Writing Fellow, and Coverfly Best Unrepped Writers List 2022 Honoree, in his free time, Jeremy loves to listen to Kendrick Lamar due to his lyrical exploration of intergenerational trauma and toxic masculinity.

PATRICK ZHANG is a Los Angeles-based actor, producer, and writer.

Hailing from Philadelphia, Patrick moved to LA at age 18 to pursue higher education along with his dream of working in the entertainment industry. Since then, Patrick has collaborated professionally with Gunpowder and Sky, the Academy of Motion Pictures, the United Talent Agency, and Hulu. On screen, you can catch Patrick's voice in the English dub of Netflix's The Sound of Magic.

GRACE LEAHY is an entertainment professional, aspiring producer, and indie coming-of-age drama enthusiast. She is based in Georgia at the Atlanta Film Society and Plaza Theatre, which host the Atlanta Film Festival.

VICTORIA WANG is a senior at UCLA studying Psychology, Film, and Theater. She currently interns for producer Joy Gorman Wettels' new social impact production company, Joy Coalition, and is the Social Media Coordinator for the Center for Scholars & Storytellers.

Key cast: Patrick Zhang (Tiger), Rebecca Jensen Uesugi (Fish/mom), Jacy Duan (Chelly)

Instagram: @fish_shortfilm

Website: https://fishshortfilm2023.wixsite.com/fish-short-film

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

New Filmmakers Los Angeles Film Festival/South Park Center LA - May 13th, 2023