How to Kill a Fish

Michael, comes home from grocery shopping with plans to cook dinner for Christina. Midway through cooking dinner, Michael begins to hear sounds which on closer inspection, seems to be coming from the fish. As time goes by, the fish begins to exhibit signs of life. Despite Michael trying to convince himself that "It's just a fish", he can't bring himself to actually kill it. The fish does get badly hurt in the process, but his compassion for the living animal causes him to bandage the wounded fish and take him on as a pet.

  • Danielle Russell
    Director
  • Danielle Russell
    Writer
  • Danielle Russell
    Producer
  • Kevin Jackson
    Producer
  • Marlon Walker
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 47 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 15, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    400 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Jamaica
  • Country of Filming:
    Jamaica
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • GATFFEST
    Kingston
    Jamaica
    June 23, 2017
    Jamaican Premiere
  • Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival
    Port of Spain
    Trinidad and Tobago
    September 21, 2017
Director Biography - Danielle Russell

Danielle Russell is an independent filmmaker who lives in Kingston, Jamaica. She holds a B.A. in Media and Communication from the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) at UWI, Mona, Jamaica and an M.F.A. in Film and TV Production from the Communication University of China in Beijing. She has made several short films and documentaries including her latest documentary, “The Bakers of Oriental Gardens” which has been screened in China and Jamaica. The screenings include the 1st Digital Exhibition at the National Gallery of Jamaica and the 1st Caribbean Film Festival in China, where she attended as a Jamaican representative. She has worked as a Television Producer and on the set of several short films, which enabled her to present research at the Rex Nettleford Conference on “Portraying the Physically Disabled in Documentaries.” Her career in film began when she attended a 6-week Filmmakers Workshop at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica after which she founded the Campion College Filmmakers’ Society to encourage other students to make their own films. Danielle currently lectures in Storytelling and Scriptwriting at UTech, Jamaica.

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Director Statement

How to Kill a Fish is a very personal story which came out of an experience I had while living in China. The bizarre experience prompted thoughts about our relationship to food in the 21st Century. In the past, humans were more connected to the land and knew where all the food came from and how it got on the plate. Women were gatherers who collected the plant foods and men were the hunters who killed and cleaned the animals for meat. In the 21st century, those roles no longer exist, but the idea of men having to go out and provide for the family still exists. This film is an exploration of those juxtaposing ideas.