A Fish Tale
Synopsis
Johnny believes in the future of Africa. He lives in Israel, but dreams of returning with modern fish farming techniques. His wife, Thérèse, sees little hope back home. She is determined to create the best possible future for their children, whatever the price may be. When their visas expire, tensions between the two arise, leading to an inevitable clash. Emmanuelle Mayer’s directorial debut is a moving documentary portrait, pieced out of ten years of intimate footage. Emphasizing the profound gap between developing Africa and the West, the film contrasts male and female narratives and raises ideas of choice versus fate.
Credits
Director(s)
Emmanuelle Mayer
Producer(s)
Emmanuelle Mayer, Noam Pinchas
Script
Emmanuelle Mayer
Cinematography
Emmanuelle Mayer
Editor
Noam Amit
Original Music
Roy Rabinovici
Original Language
English
Subtitles
English, Hebrew, French
Sound Design
Neal Gibbs
Festival Highlights
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SPECIAL MENTION
Olhares do Mediterrâneo - Women's Film Festival2020 -
WINNER
Audience Favorite Award – DocumentaryJerusalem International Film Festival2019 -
WINNER
The Other Israel Award for Best Israeli Film Highlighting Minority PopulationsJerusalem International Film Festival2019 -
WINNER
Best Debut Film AwardIsraeli Documentary Forum Awards2021
Seret International Film Festival, The Netherlands, 2021
Africa in Motion, UK, 2021
Mostra Internacional de Cinema Documental ‘Mares da Fin do Mundo’, Galicia Spain , 2021
Imagineindia , Spain, 2021
Belmont World Film, USA, 2021
Ethnocineca, Austria, 2021
Fishermen of the world Lorient, France, 2021
FIFEQ Montreal , Canada, 2021
Vienna Jewish Film Festival, Austria, 2020
Vancouver Jewish Film Fesival, Canada, 2020
Films Femmes Mediteranne Marseille, France, 2020
Olhares do Mediterrâneo - Women's Film Festival, Portugal, In Competition, 2020
International Film Festival Fishermen of the World, France, In Competition, 2020
Jerusalem International Film Festival, Israel, Documentary Competition, 2019
Reviews
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"With the will to take fate into their own hands, characters and achievement show us the courage to resist what could be a conventional script for a migratory and cinematic crossing between Israel, Ghana and the Netherlands. Life (and good cinema) is always more complex and ambivalent than a grand finale. Israel is revealed to us by the film now through its immigration policies. But it is through an intelligent and poetic montage that we feel the impact of their violence, when the course of the law confronts the fish ovulation cycle."
- Jury of Olhares do Mediterrâneo - Women's Film Festival