Jeri Jacquin

In select theatres and currently On Demand from writer/director Stephen Kinigopoulos and Gravitas Ventures is life in a FISHBOWL.

Belle (Belle Shickle), Rachel (Emily Peachey) and Jessa (Caroline Coleman) Simon live with their father Rick (Rick Kain) in the small town of Bishop. Lately, the family dynamic has changed when mom Macy (Judith Hoag) has left the family. The impact is deep as Rick has sunken into a depression that has invited a total stranger into their home.

Televangelist Ron Peltz (Bobby J. Brown) is convincing Rick that The Rapture is coming and spending money he does not have, receives a kit that is supposed to bring in other donating believers. Belle, Rachel and Jessa are trying their best to get along in school, but the word has spread that something is going wrong in the Simon house.

The girls are each coping in their own way as Belle is very strong-willed, Rachel is trying not to rock the boat and Jessa has chosen not to speak a word. Trying to convince Rachel and Jessa to break away and do things that normal teen girls do, there is a bit of trouble from time to time. Rick tries to take the girls to church to fix their straying, but Belle makes it clear she isn’t going to play along.

With their house in trouble, bills are not paid, and food seems few and far between, the girls are slowly trying to break the ties their father has on them. Especially when it is clear that the truth of their situation is based on lies.

It is about survival and truth!

Kain as Rick is a man who is lost in something he cannot change. Barely caring for the basics for his kids, he is avoiding adulting in the most dangerous of ways. Looking for anything that will save him, it is a money-grubbing televangelist who reaches him in the worst of ways. Kain gives us the blank stares of a man checked out of life except when it comes to God.

Peachey as Rachel is the strong person of the bunch. She is going to make sure her sisters are taken care of the best way she possibly can. On occasion, she takes emotional shots toward a father that does not seem to realize they are in trouble. Peachey is the rebellious Catholic school girl on the outside, but no one is taking time to see the inside of this character.

Shickle as Belle is a young woman who wants to avoid confrontation as much as possible. Doing whatever her father wants in the way of preparing for The Rapture means going door to door while her father stays steps away. That alone does not help their reputation with neighbors. Teen-angst and love are difficult for Belle and Shickle gives us hope that someone is going to be happy.

Coleman as Jessa portrays her character totally with her facial features and body language. This is a young girl traumatized by her mother’s departure and her way of dealing with it is silence. Although people at school try to reach her, Rick does not deal with it so why should Jessa? It is a wonderful performance.

Other cast include Aaron Marcus as Preacher, Delaney Williams as Mr. Barnes, Maria Broom as Sister Mary, Stefanie Fellinger as Jaci Jones, Alex Swenson as Joey, Brandon Wilson as Henry and Connie Bowman as Sallie.

Gravitas Ventures is a worldwide film distribution company that connections the global audience of over a billion people. Celebrating 15 years, they have had the honor to collaborate with thousands of artists to share important films. Gravitas was one of the first companies to develop a global network of digital media platforms like Video on Demand with a simple mission to deliver ideas that could bridge filmmakers to audiences. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.gravitasventures.com.

FISHBOWL is a tragic look at a family that is led by a father who has lost all hope except in the ravings of a televangelist. With three beautiful daughters in pain of their own, the only things he wants from them is to prepare for The Rapture. There is little concern about the girls in the way of the simple things in life and that is frightening.

As the girls try to find something outside their home that is normal, they experience bullying by other girls in the Catholic school, lack of human dignity by the one person that should be guiding them through this time of their life and teen love with all the pitfalls that go along with it.

All of this leads to an ending that either will leave the viewer with a jaw drop or clapping – or both. The story is heartbreaking and filled with so much drama that is believable in so many ways. When the credits are rolling, the discussion can begin.

In the end – to get to heaven they must walk through hell!

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