Title:Chefish

Genre:DarkComedy
Story:RaulMartinezandLosSilva
Screenplay:LosSilva

Logline

AnegotisticalCHEFeatsamagicalfishthatsendshimonthekarmicrideofhislife.

World

ElGanzoHotel

SeafoodRestaurantinHotelElGancho(TheHook)

MainCharacters

MANUEL,50,egotisticalculinarymasteratElGanzo.Heavyset,andexcessiveinhisvices
smokes,drinks,andindulgesinyoungerwomen.Onlydisciplinedinrelationtohisfoodand
ambitionstoearnaMichelinStar.

BENICIO,25,ManuelsSonandsecondincommand.Livesundertheoppressiveshadowand
dailycriticismofhisfather.AtalentedchefwhostruepotentialhasyettobloomduetoManuels
controlissuesandinsecurities.

NINA,30,formermodelturnedhostessatElGanchoandsecretgirlfriendofManuel.Wantsto
stoplivinginsecrecyandforManueltotreatherwithrespect.

SecondaryCharacters

JESUS,65,fishermanandsuppliertoElGanchoRestaurant.

Pablo,13,grandsonofJesus.Leftschooltofishinordertohelpsupportthefamily.

TertiaryCharacters

FOODCRITIC

HOTELMAITRED

KITCHENSTAFF+WAITSTAFF

URSULAManuelsexwifeandmotherofBenicio(seeninFlashbackonly)

Synopsis

MANUELisaproudchef,boisterous,loud,withabigego.Hebecomesespeciallyedgywhen
helearnsarenownedFOODCRITICwillbediningandreviewinghisrestaurantthatevening.
Manuelbelievesthatagreatreviewwillcatapulthimintomoresuccessandgainhimacoveted
MichelinStar.

ManuelpurchasesthedailycatchoffishfromJESUS,thefisherman,andunderpayshimashe
usuallydoes.WhenJesusattemptstorequestmoremoneyforhishardearnedcatch,Manuel
makesexcusesastowhytherestaurantcannotaffordtopaymore.Jesusacceptsthepay
humblywhilehisgrandson,PABLO,thinksheshouldstandupforhimselfandrequestmore
money.

ManuelgathersthekitchenstaffandinformsthemoftheFoodCriticsattendanceandhow
importantthisnightisforthehotel,restaurant,andofcoursehimself.HeputsthefearofGod
intohisteamandthreatenstofireanyonewhomakesamistake.Manueldemoteshisson
BENICIObecauseheneedstoconcentrateextrahardandcannotbedistractedbyhisson.
Beniciofeelshumiliatedandprotestsbuttonoavail,Manuelisasstubbornasamule.

ManueleatstheFishtheyareservingfordinnerserviceandapprovestherecipeforhiskitchen
staff.TheFoodCriticarrivesandManuelbeginstoexperiencehallucinationsandsymptomsof
foodpoisoning.Hestrugglesthroughthedinnerserviceuntilhisvisionsbecometoostrange
andpowerfulforhimtokeephiscomposure.

Manuelleavesthekitchenandretreatstohishotelsuitewherehelives.Heexperiences
FLASHBACKMEMORIESofNinahisgirlfriendandhisson.Everytimeheexperiencesavision
itisasifheisthatperson,inthedriverseat(POV),feelingallthesensationsandemotionsas
theyactuallyhappened.

Finallyonhisliteraldeathbed,theHotelMatreDarriveswithNinaandBeniciotocheckonthe
illchef.Manuelsfinalflashbackmemoryisofahappiertimewhenheusedtocookforhis
happysonandformerwife.Realizingtheerrorsofhisways,hewhisperswordsthatlets
Benicioknowhessorryandloveshim.Manueldiesandbecomesthefishheate,reincarnated
instantaneouslyswimmingintheocean.

Sometimelater,thefishthatisManuel(Chefish)iscaughtbyJesusandPablo.
BeniciopurchasesthecatchforagenerouspriceandoffersPabloajobinthekitchen.The
ChefishisdroppedintotherestaurantaquariumandwatchesBeniciobeingcongratulatedby
theFoodCritic.ACookpullstheChefishoutoftheaquariumandchopshisheadoff,preparing
thefishforasucculentdish.

Treatment

JesusandPablohaulthedayscatchoffishashore.JesustellsPabloafolklegendaboutthe
DreamFishthatswimsthelocalwaters.Althoughuncommon,certainpeoplewhoeatthefish
canexperiencepowerfulhallucinationsanddreamlikesymptoms.Pabloaskswhysomepeople
areaffectedandothersnot.Jesusresponds,thatitisthefishwho
chooses
whomitallowsto
see,andthatonemustalwaysbepureofheartwheneatingthefish,orriskenteringthe
dreamworld.

InElGanzoHotel,ManuelhassexwithhisgirlfriendNina.Sherollshereyesduringthe
unfulfillingactandcantwaitforManueltofinish.AfterManuelfinishescrushingher,hereminds
heroftheFoodCriticsattendanceandrequestsforhertowoohimwithhischarm.Thetwo
argueaboutheusesherandshestormsoffintothebathroom.

JesusandPabloarrivetotheentranceofElGanzoandsellManuelthedayscatch.Manuel
underpaysJesusandtellshimthehotelcannotaffordpremiumratesandtotakeitorleaveit.
Jesus,havinglittleoptionsasanagingfisherman,acceptsthelowpayandreturnstohistruck
withhisgrandson.PablourgesJesustostickupforhimselforfindanotherbuyer,however
Jesusistimidandsetinhisways.

ManuelgathersthekitchenstaffandannouncestheFoodCritic,statingthatdinnerservicemust
goflawless.Manuelpreparesthefishdishexpertlyforthestafftoreplicateandtheyallsample
themeal.Atthecloseofthemeetinghedemoteshissonandstateshewillberunningthe
kitchensothathedoesnotscrewup.Beniciofeelshumiliated,argueswithhisfatherandcalls
himdad.Manuelbecomesenragedandscreamsathisson,donteversaythatinthekitchen,
andcallme
Chef
!

Manueleatsawholefishtohimselfanddinnerservicegetsunderway.TheFoodCriticarrives
andManuelsendsNinatowoohimwithhercharmsandbeauty,usinghertohisadvantage.
ShereportstoManuelandhepreparesthehonoraryguestsmealhimself.MeanwhileBenicio
expeditestheorders,somethingheisoverqualifiedfor.

Manuelbeginstoexperiencestrangevisualandauditoryhallucinations,likeanacidtrip
combinedwithsymptomsoffoodpoisoning.Ninasuggestshegotohisroomstatingthat
Beniciocanhandlethekitchen.Unwillingtolistentoheradvice,Manuelstrugglesthroughthe
serviceuntilhecannolongerkeephiscomposuresomethingisdefinitelywrongwithhim.

ManuelleavesthekitchenandexperiencesaFLASHBACKMEMORYasNinaearlierthat
morningaftertheirargument.NinacriesintheshowerandManuelexperiencesallherpainat
once.Heflashesbacktohimselfandcontinuestotheelevator.OnceonhisfloorManuel
experiencesasecondflashbackasNina,whenshecheatedonhimwithanothermore
handsomeman.ChefasNinahaswildpassionatesexwiththestranger,shescreams,hollers,
andhasapowerfulorgasmsomethingManuelhasnevergivenher.


Manuelflashesbacktohimselfandentershisroom.Hepourshimselfadrinktocalmhisnerves
andflashesagainasNinaatimewhenheslappedherduringanargument.Manuelisjoltedto
thebed(fromslap)andpantsheavily.Hecrossestothebathroomandsplasheswateronhis
sweatyface.

AfourthflashbackoccursbutthistimeheexperiencesthememoryashissonBenicioatage14
BenicioproudlypresentsacakehebakedforhisfatherandManuelharshlycriticizesthedish
causingBeniciotofeelhorrible.

Manuelreturnstohimselfandcallthekitchenfromhissuitephone.Heaskshowthefoodcritic
isenjoyinghisfood,beforehecangetanansweranotherflashbackofBenciooccursa
conversationbetweenBenicioandhisGirlFriendwherehestateshewantstoquitbecause
Manuelhascausedhimsomuchhurtthathenolongerenjoyscooking.

Manuelflashesbacktohimselfandisemotionallydrainedanddistraught,Hecrossestothebar
topoorhimselfanotherdrinkanddropstheglassshatteringitonthefloor.Aknockonthedoor
revealstheMatreDwhoentersandcatchesManuelashecollapsesintohisarms.TheMatre
DcallsanambulanceandManuelexperiencesanotherflashback,onlythistimeashimselfa
happymemoryofhimsmiling,laughing,andcookingforBenicioandhisdeadwifeUrsula,a
simplertimefullofwarmthandlove.

Deathlyill,sweaty,andonthefloor,ManuelopenshiseyesandstaresupatthefaceofBenicio.
TheMatreDinformsthemtheambulanceisonitsway.Benicogripshisfathershandashe
slipsaway.Manuelmotionsforhimtoleaninclose,andusingallofhislaststrengthuttersCall
meDad.Manuelreleaseshisgripanddiesinhissonsarms.

ManuelbecomesreincarnatedinstantaneouslyasoneoftheFishheateandswimsinthe
ocean.TheChefishiscaughtbyafishingline/hookandpulledoutofthewaterbyPablo(what
seemslikeonlymomentslaterisactuallyseveralweeks).PabloplacestheChefishinabucket
alongwithotherflappingfish.

PabloandJesusarrivetoElGanzoHoteltoselltheirdayscatchtoBenicio.Hepaysthem
generouslyandJesusmentionsheishappytodobusinesswithsuchanhonorableman.The
Chefishwitnessesthetransaction(POV).BeniciosmilesandoffersPabloanopportunityto
workinthekitchen,whichmakesJesusevenmoregrateful.

TheChefishisdroppedintotherestaurantsaquarium.Beniciofinishesplanningthe
RestaurantsnewmenuwhenahappierNinatellshimtheFoodCritichasarrived.TheChefish
watchesastheFoodCriticpresentsBenicioanawardandacongratulatoryhandshake.Food
Criticleaves.NinatellsBeniciohowimpressedsheiswiththemanhesbecomeandplantsa
kissonhischeek.TheChefishwatchesallthisfromtheaquariumandthenispluckedfromthe
waterbyoneofthecooks.


InthekitchentheChefishisplacedonacuttingboard.Withoneslicefromameatcleaverthe
fishsheadissevered.Duringtheendcreditsequencethefishiscut,cleaned,andcookedinto
abeautifulandscrumptiousmeal.