Varsity 3 Thursday, April 12, 2018 - 6:40 PM

Mr. Fish: Cartooning from the Deep End

Documentary Feature

70 minutes

2017

Director(s): Pablo Bryant

USA

Synopsis

Oregon Premiere

Mr. Fish and his cartoons and animations are brilliant, timely, and important. Once upon a time, such compelling work was a vital part of American journalism. But what’s happened to editorial cartoons and cartoonists over the last few years is chilling, as the daily newspapers that used to publish them are rapidly disappearing. This incisive documentary introduces us to an artist who should be far better known than he is. He opens our eyes to the hypocrisy of all political sides with his outrageous, taboo-breaking art. Mr. Fish struggles to stay true to his creativity in a world where biting satiric humor has an ever-diminishing commercial value. Ultimately, he must come to terms with the kinds of compromises a radical artist makes (or refuses to make) while also trying to raise children and pay the mortgage.

Director’s Statement

The project began with a book called Go Fish by the artist Mr. Fish and the work inside was unlike anything I had seen before. It was Monty Python-esque in its humor: outrageous, playful, freethinking, and a little dirty. But it was also heartbreaking in how honestly it looked at our communal dysfunction. I had found an artist who was speaking to the world I struggle to make sense of. In a time of spin, false narratives, and information overload, cutting-edge voices like Mr. Fish provoke a deeper conversation than the mainstream media can offer.