Bird and Fish

I am not sure if Bird and Fish is set on our planet at some point during the future (in which case it beats After Earth hands down for originality) or whether it is set elsewhere in the universe.  Not that it matters.  The short movie tells the story of two young souls, one bird, one fish, who inhabit the carefully delineated areas of their planet.

There is very little movement or communications between the two separate zones but the inhabitants are aware of the other while remaining content to stay separate.  Most blithely ignore the other society either above or below them (depending on which they come from).  We are left to fill in the back-story ourselves - and I enjoy it when I am allowed to do that by filmmakers!

Yet things are about to change when two boys meet, one a bored and lonely delivery bird, the other a fish boy with a passion for ancient technology.  Together they will change their world(s), possibly forever.

Bird and Fish is the senior graduation animation produced at the Kansas City Art Institute by Ann Mendenhall and Stephanie Son.  As a by the by it’s great to see an all-female direction team at work!  You can visit their production blog here.