Independent Animated Feature ‘Moonfish’ Debuts Trailer Ahead of Historic Venice Film Festival Premiere

The official trailer has arrived for Moonfish, a monochrome, 2D American indie animated feature exploring deep-space isolation and the existential impact of grief. Directed by Brooklyn-based animator Daniel Zvereff, the project holds a unique distinction on the international circuit: it stands as the only animated feature selected for the 83rd Venice International Film Festival (September 2–12, 2026).

Existential Isolation on a Deep-Space Mining Mission

Moonfish follows a grieving astronaut stranded on an isolated asteroid after losing his sole companion during a deep-space mining operation. To earn his return home, he must meet a strict corporate quota. As a year of utter solitude passes, his declining physical health and unraveling grip on reality begin to blur the boundary between the living and the non-living.

The narrative grew out of a deeply personal, traumatic experience for writer-director Daniel Zvereff. Following a severe misdiagnosis by a Medicaid doctor who told him he had a fatal heart condition, Zvereff spent two weeks believing his life was imminently ending.

Creative Team and High-Profile Backing

The feature marks the full-length directorial debut for Zvereff, whose short film Drago premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Moonfish was developed through the festival’s prestigious Biennale College Cinema lab and earned a production grant from La Biennale di Venezia—making history as the first animated project to receive the award.