Private Project

Fish

Three incompatible stories unfold against the backdrop of everyday tragedies: a little boy tries to save a fish that his mother is about to cook for soup; a vegetarian, fanatical about following all the rules of a healthy life, suddenly chokes on a walnut; a woman, in unbearable pain, gives birth not to a child, but to a doll. Each character fights their own battle, only to confront the inevitable — death, the common denominator of all lives.

  • Victoria Zadorska
    Director
  • Victoria Zadorska
    Writer
  • Artem Holubiev
    Producer
  • Eldar Yukhymchuk
    Key Cast
  • Anzhela Danyliuk
    Key Cast
  • Eric Nykyforuk
    Key Cast
  • Tetiana Stankevych
    Key Cast
  • Illia Pryzenko
    DOP
  • Ruslan Osyka
    PRODUCTION DESIGNER
  • Oleksii Boriak
    EDITOR
  • Yevhen Petrusenko
    SOUND DIRECTOR
  • Liam Colomer
    COMPOSER
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 51 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    100 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Ukraine
  • Country of Filming:
    Ukraine
  • Language:
    Ukrainian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Victoria Zadorska

Victoria is a Ukrainian writer, screenwriter, and director. She began her career in 2016, writing several trilogies, duologies, and standalone novels. Her debut published book, Skeletons from My Granny's Closet, was longlisted for BBC Ukraine's Best Children's Book.

Victoria's screenwriting career started in 2021 when she won with a short film script at the Bobritsa Film Festival. She has written over 50 animated shorts, various educational series for Diia.Education, and several live-action short films, including Spacedad and Fish, which she also directed.

In 2024, Victoria expanded her directorial work with the short film Under the Pillow, shot during the Kino Guarimba residency in Italy. Her documentary I Want to Be Like Kharlan was created in collaboration with Ukraine's Public Broadcasting.

Victoria continues to explore the intersection of fantasy and reality, bringing her stories to life both in books and on screen.

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Director Statement

Every day, outside the window of my home, the most absurd reality unfolds — a war in the heart of Europe in the 21st century. An event that makes no sense in a civilized world, yet it continues, casting doubt on all my beliefs and leaving hundreds of questions unanswered, questions that perhaps will never find answers.
"Fish" is a metaphorical film in which I, as the author, reflect on the idea that life is a journey toward death, often meaningless and unexpected. If that's the case, does that mean life itself is also meaningless and unpredictable? This is a contemplation on the absurdity of our existence and how we try to find meaning in a world that constantly forces us to confront uncertainty, chaos, and fear.