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Role: Director, Animator, Editor, Writer
Festivals: NoBudge
A surreal, scattershot story of fatherhood, the cycle of life, consumerism, and giving people what they ask for. “Bobby Fish,” directed by Peter Wagner, is a one-of-a-kind oddity bouncing between perspectives— from a father, to a son, to a fish, to an evil toy company — all held together with a uniquely textured animation style that gives off a bubbly sheen. A dapper father smokes a cigarette and recalls the circumstances that led to the birth of his son, Jesse, which unexpectedly revolves around a Furby-like toy called the “Furry Thing.” The son, all grown up now, falls for Amanda, who expresses interest in a hot new toy trend, the “Bobby Bass 2000.” An endearingly bizarre concoction, Wagner’s film offers a bit of everything: father/son bonding, young love, capitalist commentary, and existential concern. -Kentucker Audley