"The Last Goldfish is an astounding revelation not only of one woman’s discovery of her family history before and after Nazism but also of her reconnection to her Jewish heritage." - Film Society of Lincoln Center, NYC
A woman's search for her lost history becomes a heartfelt reflection on intersectionality and the delicate nature of identity.
In the days preceding WWII, Manfred Goldfish, a German Jew, fled Nazi Germany with his wife and found an unlikely refuge in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Manfred's daughter Su was born in Trinidad and spent a unique childhood immersed in its culture, before the family emigrated again and found a permanent home in Australia. Su grew up protected from the disturbing origins of her family's refugee narrative -- she is the last Goldfish -- yet was perceptive to its emotional undertones that have continued to resonate throughout her life's course.
In this highly attuned documentary, filmmaker Su Goldfish embarks on a cinematic investigation to unearth her family's past, and retrace the trauma of persecution that has inherently shaped her inner identity. What follows is personally revelatory, and evokes a universal narrative of trauma and migration.
The Last Goldfish offers a reflection on personal identity, as filtered through Su's complex experience as a Jew, a queer woman, and a refugee.
81 Minutes / English