The Annihilation of Fish
Charles Burnett, 1999, 102 min

Introduced by Hope Rangaswami

Charles Burnett’s The Annihilation of Fish is a subversive romantic comedy from one of American independent cinema’s most distinctive voices. Fish (James Earl Jones), a Jamaican immigrant recently released from a psychiatric facility, wrestles with demons only he can see. Meanwhile, Poinsettia (Lynn Redgrave) has recently broken up with her imaginary lover, the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. When these two eccentric outcasts become neighbours, they develop a relationship that reveals the risks and rewards of vulnerability. A compassionate exploration of mental illness, age, gender, and race, the film redefines who and what belongs in the rom-com.  

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Screening as part of Strange Encounters programme