Adapted from a short story by Anthony C. Winkler, The Annihilation of Fish is a tender comedy about two eccentric humans finding love later in life. Lynn Redgrave plays Poinsettia, a former housewife with an imagined lover in the form of 19th-century composer Giacomo Puccini. She moves into a Los Angeles boarding house with an energetic landlady (Margot Kidder). There she meets a Jamaican widower, Fish (James Earl Jones), who has recently been released from a mental institution despite his continued battles against unseen demons. In the face of personal challenges and differences, the couple grows together and begins to discover new things about themselves and the nuances of love and happiness. With extraordinary performances from a stellar cast, the film tackles such sensitive issues as race, mental illness, and aging with anarchic humor and energy.
Winner of an Honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement, Charles Burnett remains one of our country’s most celebrated independent filmmakers and his long-lost 1999 feature, which remained unreleased until 2024, brings audiences to both laughter and tears.
This new 4K Restoration was undertaken by UCLA Film & Television Archive and The Film Foundation in collaboration with Milestone Films.
“For much too long, ‘The Annihilation of Fish’ has been in limbo. It took many years and endless persistence to rescue this beautiful, delicate picture… I’m so happy that it’s finally ready for the world to discover.” – Martin Scorsese
“It is impossible to not see the film as an essential chapter in one of the substantial careers in modern cinema.” – IndieWire
“Another Burnett treasure.” – Rogerebert.com
