No Fish Where to Go 2014
Distributed by National Film Board of Canada, 1123 Broadway, Suite 307, New York, NY 10010; 800-542-2164
Produced by Marc Bertrand
Directed by Nicola Lemay and Janice Nadeau
DVD, color, 12 min.
Jr. High - General Adult
Animation, Discrimination, Education, Film, Graphic Design, War
Date Entered: 02/03/2015
Reviewed by Deidra N. Herring, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OHThis short tale focuses on intolerance and hatred and is a variation of Marie-Francine Hébert's 2003 book, No Fish Where to Go. The art of filmmaking and illustration come alive when two best friends learn about the beauty and importance of diversity, rich languages, and cultural differences in school. The plot quickly goes awry when the girls are separated and the town is terrorized by a three masked tyrants. Families and neighbors are abruptly torn apart and driven out leaving everything behind. One of the two girls takes her fish and leaves with her family during the violent outbreak, but luckily sneaks off to leave her fish with her best friend. Men and women are separated and find themselves on a long journey into the unknown.
The DVD is recommended with caution for younger audiences. The content is thought provoking and can be used as an introduction to discussions on war or hate crimes. Artists will appreciate the creative animation and design that Lemay and Nadeau produce on screen. The film is appropriate for school libraries and university level students studying film or storytelling.
The film trailer is available on the National Film Board of Canada web site.