The Annihilation of Fish

A little known American romantic dramedy, The Annihilation of Fish follows the budding love between Poinsettia, an alcoholic who believes is having an affair with a dead composer, and Fish, a Jamaican immigrant who constantly fights an imaginary man named Hank. 

Where many films would introduce such characters as a laughing stock, making mock of their grief and illness, director Charles Burnett takes them at serious and treats their situations with compassion, tenderness and love, showing the strange beauties that come with devoting yourself to another person. A treat of comfort for anyone who may feel like they are alone in the world, The Annihilation of Fish embraces glimpses of humanity often overlooked.

1999

108 minutes

Charles Burnett

English language