Synopsis

The film is set in modern-day Los Angeles and follows Jules, a Chinese American woman. Jules, who is newly sober, discovers that the vomiting never goes away as expected. She now vomits fish whenever triggered by negative stimuli. She usually keeps this a secret, but every now and then, she tells it as a joke that no one believes. Jules, who is organized, caring, and trying to find her place in society, jumps between jobs and goes on casual dates. Things never go exactly as planned. However, Jules finally meets a person, who is a fish enthusiast, after a string of bad dates. Things quickly escalate between them, forcing Jules to confront something she has avoided her entire life.

Curators’ note

Director’s bio

Wendi Tang is a Los Angeles-based writer/director and producer. She graduated from NYU Tisch/Stern dual degree program. Wendi's work focuses on character-driven stories that explore various corners of female narratives. Her short films have been selected by numerous film festivals worldwide including Flicker's Rhode Island IFF, the Norwegian Short Film Festival, Red Sea IFF, and more. She is a 2022 NYC Women’s Fund recipient, a Sundance Uprise Grant Fund Finalist, and a 2022 BAFTA Newcomer. Her upcoming project, FISHTANK, is the winner of the Tribeca Women Filmmaker’s program and the winner of the Film Pipeline Short Script Competition in 2022.

Director‘s statement

Goldfish symbolize good fortune and good luck in many Asian cultures. When I had my first goldfish as a kid, however, looking into its eyes through the tiny glass bowl, all I felt was isolation and sadness. Growing up, I somehow related to them and felt that they were me in a sense, trapped in an invisible tank, fighting against my fellow fish for food tossed to us. I didn't ever like that feeling, and I think this scenario needs to change. The film combines a traditional narrative form with experimental, surreal elements, for instance, vomiting goldfish after getting sober, to introduce the audience to a world they’re unfamiliar with and challenge their understanding of the norms ingrained in society. The film uses Jules’s perspective and her fascinating yet terrifying experience to open up the complex and dimensional world that indeed exists inside every woman.

Festival & Awards

2024

FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL

6th HiShorts!

28th Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival!

Casts

Tiffany Chu, Isaac W. Jay

Credits