Year of the Fish
Encyclopedia
Year of the Fish is a 2008 American animated film based on Ye Xian
, a ninth century Chinese variant of the fairy tale Cinderella
, starring Tsai Chin
(Joy Luck Club), Randall Duk Kim
, Ken Leung
and An Nguyen. Written and directed by David Kaplan, the film is set in a massage parlor
in modern-day New York's Chinatown
.
The film was executive produced by Janet Yang (Joy Luck Club) and produced by Rocco Caruso (Judy Berlin). Kaplan's screenplay was developed at the Sundance
Screenwriters and Directors Labs and was the recipient of a 2005 Annenberg
Fellowship. Year of the Fish had its world premiere at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival
.
The film was shot entirely on location in New York City’s Chinatown
using live actors and then animated in post-production via rotoscoping, the process of tracing over live-action footage to create an animation; in this case, a painterly, watercolor effect. Some of the make-up on the strange-looking characters were removed by the rotoscoping.
and was named "Best Film" at the 2007 Avignon Film Festival. It was also named "Best Film" at the 2007 Asheville Film Festival, won the Audience Award at the 2007 Independent Film Festival of Boston, and was nominated for the Piaget Producers Award at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards.
Ye Xian
Ye Xian or Yeh-Shen is a Chinese fairy tale that is similar to the European Cinderella story and the Malay-Indonesian Bawang Putih Bawang Merah tale...
, a ninth century Chinese variant of the fairy tale Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
, starring Tsai Chin
Tsai Chin (actress)
Tsai Chin , also known as Irene Chow, is a Chinese-born actress living in England.-Early life, family & education:Chin was born to Peking Opera actor Zhou Xinfang in 1936. She spent her early life in Shanghai. She had two short marriages which both ended in divorce. Her brother is Michael...
(Joy Luck Club), Randall Duk Kim
Randall Duk Kim
Randall Duk Kim is a Korean-American stage, television and film actor. Kim was also the artistic director and mainstay lead actor at the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, which he founded with Anne Occhiogrosso and Charles Bright...
, Ken Leung
Ken Leung
Kenneth "Ken" Leung is an American actor best known for his role as Miles Straume in the ABC television series Lost and roles in such films as Shanghai Kiss, Rush Hour, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Saw.-Early life:...
and An Nguyen. Written and directed by David Kaplan, the film is set in a massage parlor
Massage parlor
A massage parlor is a business where customers can receive a massage. Sometimes the term is synonymous with brothel as the term "massage" may be used as a euphemism for paid sexual favours....
in modern-day New York's Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
.
The film was executive produced by Janet Yang (Joy Luck Club) and produced by Rocco Caruso (Judy Berlin). Kaplan's screenplay was developed at the Sundance
Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981 that actively advances the work of filmmakers and storytellers worldwide...
Screenwriters and Directors Labs and was the recipient of a 2005 Annenberg
Annenberg
-People:* Moses Annenberg* Walter Annenberg, former U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain, billionaire publishing magnate, and philanthropist* Leonore Annenberg, former U.S...
Fellowship. Year of the Fish had its world premiere at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
.
The film was shot entirely on location in New York City’s Chinatown
Chinatown, Manhattan
Manhattan's Chinatown , home to one of the highest concentrations of Chinese people in the Western hemisphere, is located in the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
using live actors and then animated in post-production via rotoscoping, the process of tracing over live-action footage to create an animation; in this case, a painterly, watercolor effect. Some of the make-up on the strange-looking characters were removed by the rotoscoping.
Reception
Year of the Fish premiered as the Official Selection of the 2007 Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
and was named "Best Film" at the 2007 Avignon Film Festival. It was also named "Best Film" at the 2007 Asheville Film Festival, won the Audience Award at the 2007 Independent Film Festival of Boston, and was nominated for the Piaget Producers Award at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards.