Sweetie, an eccentric 12-year-old leads a motley crew of misfit friends to refurbish an abandoned boat and set sail on a quest to find a magical pink fish.
Twelve-year-old SWEETIE is devastated when his beloved sister, FOLAKE—the closest thing he has to a mother—announces her marriage and plans to leave their village. In Sweetie’s eyes, it’s not Folake’s fiancé to blame, but the legendary PINK FISH, said to bring luck wherever it appears. The fish’s last sighting was in Folake’s new village, and Sweetie blames it for tearing his family apart.
Determined to fix things, Sweetie hatches a plan. He’ll repair an old boat, cross the Epe Lagoon, catch the Pink Fish, and use its luck to bring Folake home.
To pull this off, He recruits his brother OLAMIDE and best friend MADUKA. To get an engine, they have to let TOCHI, the mechanic’s daughter, join their crew, even though the boys aren’t sure about having a girl on board. Through trial, error, and teamwork, they finally fix up the boat.
On departure day, Sweetie’s friends insist on coming along. He tries to talk them out of it, but they refuse. The adventure is now theirs, too.
Minutes into their journey, Olamide senses danger and urges the group to turn back. Sweetie refuses, leading to a heated argument. Tensions are high when Maduka spots something in the water—a glimmer of hope? No, just a red shoe. Maduka’s belief in the mission falters, and Olamide calls for a vote. Outnumbered, Sweetie jumps into the lagoon, daring them to go home without him. The group relents and the quest continues.
Back in the village, the parents discover the children are missing and quickly piece together what the children are up to.
Meanwhile, a storm brews over the lagoon. Sweetie pushes the engine to full throttle. CLICK. It sputters and dies. Before anyone can react, a huge wave capsizes the boat. UTTER STILLNESS. Then, one by one, the kids resurface. Shaken, but alive.
As they drift, defeated, Sweetie apologizes to his friends. Despair sets in as they float aimlessly. THUD! Something lands at their feet. It’s the Pink Fish, radiant and real. Sweetie, still resentful, raises his hand to strike, but hesitates at the fish’s pleading eyes. Moved, he lets the fish go.
As the fish swims away, their parents arrive in a rescue boat. The crew returns home, but Sweetie continues on to Folake’s new village. There, he finally says goodbye, wishing her happiness in her marriage. Realizing their paths must diverge, Sweetie returns home to a hero’s welcome and an eager audience for his Fantastic Tale.
Vincho Nchogu is an independent filmmaker, investigative podcast producer, and digital archivist of indigenous knowledge systems. Notable achievements include producing the acclaimed Brazilian biopic Gabriel and the Mountain, which won two awards at Cannes, and documenting indigenous knowledge systems in Kenya and Nigeria. Vincho gained recognition in audio documentaries with the investigative podcast Case Number Zero, which explores the disappearance of Kenyan journalist Bogonko Bosire. She also wrote and produced Country of Gamblers, a podcast about the Kenyan gambling industry, and is actively working on an investigative documentary podcast titled Natural Justice, focusing on environmental injustices in various Kenyan communities. Her debut feature, One Woman, One Bra, premiered at the Venice Film Festival and won the Sutherland Award at the BFI London Film Festival. Currently, she is developing Kedong a thriller set in Kenya. Her work has been supported by prestigious organizations such as Alfred P Sloan, Film Independent, Doc Society, Red Sea Labs, Venice Film Festival and Torino Film.
Red Sea Labs - Development Award- 2023
Josh Olaoluwa- Producer
Muhammad Ahmad Atta - Cinematograher
Sarah Dorman Sveen - Producer
