A fisherman embarks on an unexpected journey into his past.

Director’s Vision

There are two stories here: a quirky surface level dilemma about a man trying to deal with the inconvenience of a stolen fish, and just beneath that — a spiritual-emotional parable about grief.

I wanted to explore a character who finally reckons with something he’s been putting off for a very long time. Even though his day begins like any other, it evolves into something deeply meaningful for him. It becomes a day where he takes what was owed to him, and instead of trading it for money he carries it with him, shouldering the weight of it along with the painful memories it stirs up. The act of lugging around the fish becomes a penance for him, and even though it’s an absurd image it ultimately comes to represent his cross to bear.

Ultimately, he decides to bring the fish back to his childhood home to present the catch to the memory of his father, which I think is an act that’s deeply ingrained in our psychology. The need to make our fathers proud, to show them that we’re worthy, to let them know we carry the weight too.