The Cat and The Fish is a short film about a young cat thief, who finds himself stealing from an old sea lion fisherman. After being caught in the act, he is given a chance to pay his debt by helping the fisherman and learning how to fish, instead of being punished.

The Cat and the Fish is a story about growth and bonding. While the cat lives an independent life, he realises a lot of his struggles are coming from himself. Being alone makes him desire a father figure like the fisherman. Inspired by the colourful port city of Valparaíso in addition to other diverse regions of John Little’s home country, the world of The Cat and The Fish is an embodiment of the vibrant atmosphere carried by Chile’s landscape and people.

In addition to Chilean and Latin American cultural atmosphere, John has drawn inspiration from both Japanese and western animated films with young characters living independent, non-conforming lives. Stories such as Tekkonkinkreet (2006), The Boy and The Beast (2015), and Luca (2021) exemplify the rich in texture, concrete jungles that inspired the world of The Cat and The Fish. While these films are different in tone and genres, they share a common experience of navigating the world without direct adult supervision, leading to intense self-reliance and the necessity of building their own “found family” to thrive.

Created and Directed by John Little, The Cat and The Fish is a proof-of concept film for an original intellectual property.