Written and directed by Kelly Yu, a documentary crew interviews the man responsible for taking care of the last surviving goldfish in the world. Starring: Dennis Dun, Ava Capri and Elaine Rivkin.

It’s not an easy thing to create an atmosphere that’s so wholesome and enthusiastic, that it’s genuinely infectious but Kelly Yu does that with Endling. It’s ridiculously charming and just the right amount of quirky, that it’s weird without being disconnected or extravagant. The tone has a strong silliness which is wonderful, it’s playful in the best of ways. The writing gets even stronger when you realise the true nature to this story and how it’s tinged with sadness. How it goes beyond caring for the goldfish and becomes a parable for how our leading man views life, and its end.

All of which is anchored by the creation of Richard Chen (Dennis Dun), he’s one of those characters who is effortlessly adorable. You can’t help but want to follow him, even if he’s doing nothing because he has such a sweet presence. A lot to credit has to go to Dun for bringing him to life so beautifully. Tapping into that sort of optimistic, loving and generous presence while being a little silly and holding onto a big sincerity, is a difficult task but Dun knocks it out of the park. He’s joy in a bottle, giving a similar vibe to Marcel the Shell with Shoes on.

Kelly Yu then matches that with her direction, she captures that documentary feel really well but then injects it with a really terrific amount of personality. Particularly through the use of colour which is vibrant yet not over the top, it’s still in the everyday realm yet it’s elevated by positivity and kindness. Seamlessly blending together the themes and feelings of the story with how it visually presents itself. The direction complements the comedy and the cinematography is excellent.

Endling is remarkably tender with a huge heart and is endearingly bizarre. Everything about it is enveloping with its warmth and generosity while also having emotional layers. Kelly Yu did a fantastic job of creating a comedy that can have plenty of fun but is also sincere. Dennis Dun’s performance is brilliant and a pleasure to watch. This is the type of short where if you need a pick me up, something to spark some positivity, spend fifteen minutes with this one and it will easily do the trick.

Verdict: ✯✯✯✯✯ | 10/10

Screened as part of HollyShorts Film Festival 2024