A Fish Swimming Upside Down

In this tale of unconventional love and moral dilemmas, Andrea, a vivacious woman with no past, becomes entangled in a complex love triangle with Philipp and his son, Martin. Their lives intertwine in a surreal household, filling the void of Philipp’s deceased wife. As summer blooms, so do their desires and fears, leading to an intricate web of emotional dependencies. The film navigates through themes of loss, longing, and societal norms, culminating in a deep exploration of human needs and the elusive nature of guilt. Eliza Petkova’s narrative blends minimalism with profound character study, creating a portrait of flawed, relatable individuals. The film’s aesthetic is as unsettling as it is sterile, adding to the narrative tension and making it a thought-provoking exploration of relationships. Premiering at Berlinale 2020, it challenges conventional moral standards, inviting audiences to ponder the fragility of human connections and inner emptiness. As Petkova’s graduation project, the film establishes her as a significant voice in contemporary cinema, adept at portraying nuanced emotions and complex psychological landscapes. A FISH SWIMMING UPSIDE DOWN is a reflective piece on the intricacies of human relationships, leaving audiences contemplating love, responsibility, and the blurred lines between right and wrong.

Keywords

  • Love+: Sexuality
  • Made in Germany
  • Next Generation: DFFB - German Film and Television Academy Berlin
  • Screen: Germany
  • Storyline: Sons
  • User Favorites: Top 25
  • death
  • depression
  • love triangle
  • mourning
  • relationship

Actors

  • Nina Schwabe
  • Theo Trebs
  • Henning Kober
  • Anna Manolova
  • Márton Nagy
  • Leon Ullrich

Director

  • Eliza Petkova

Drama


1h 43min


16+

DE


EN

Germany
2020
In a tense love triangle, a woman's presence stirs dark desires and complex emotions in a father and son, challenging moral norms.

In a tense love triangle, a woman's presence stirs dark desires and complex emotions in a father and son, challenging moral norms.


In this tale of unconventional love and moral dilemmas, Andrea, a vivacious woman with no past, becomes entangled in a complex love triangle with Philipp and his son, Martin. Their lives intertwine in a surreal household, filling the void of Philipp’s deceased wife. As summer blooms, so do their desires and fears, leading to an intricate web of emotional dependencies.


The film navigates through themes of loss, longing, and societal norms, culminating in a deep exploration of human needs and the elusive nature of guilt. Eliza Petkova’s narrative blends minimalism with profound character study, creating a portrait of flawed, relatable individuals. The film’s aesthetic is as unsettling as it is sterile, adding to the narrative tension and making it a thought-provoking exploration of relationships. Premiering at Berlinale 2020, it challenges conventional moral standards, inviting audiences to ponder the fragility of human connections and inner emptiness.


As Petkova’s graduation project, the film establishes her as a significant voice in contemporary cinema, adept at portraying nuanced emotions and complex psychological landscapes. A FISH SWIMMING UPSIDE DOWN is a reflective piece on the intricacies of human relationships, leaving audiences contemplating love, responsibility, and the blurred lines between right and wrong.

Festivals

Cast & Crew