The Rusty Fish (ANIMA)

The film The Card Players is a free adaptation of the series of works by the French painter Paul Cézanne, bearing the same name. It consists of four episodes—Venus, Grafting the Vine, Grapes, and Bitter Wine—each with a different story.

In the episode Venus, symbolized by Diamonds, the main character has a deep connection with objects. Therefore, this episode places greater emphasis on objects. The main character is inspired by the standing café owner in Paul Cézanne’s painting The Card Players.

The episode Grafting the Vine, symbolized by Clubs, tells the story of a painter who portrays a woman in a garden. This episode emphasizes plants, and the main character is inspired by the figure on the right in Paul Cézanne’s painting The Card Players.

In the episode Grapes, symbolized by Spades, we see a young man living with several cats. The focus of this episode is on animals. The young man intends to make a change in his life of crime—not by abandoning it, but by committing crimes independently. This episode is inspired by the man on the left in Paul Cézanne’s painting The Card Players.

In the episode Bitter Wine, which follows Grafting the Vine and Grapes, we witness the brief companionship of two strangers. One is a man, an art dealer specializing in unknown painters, and the other is a woman, who previously appeared as a model in Grafting the Vine. The female character is inspired by the woman behind the two card players in Paul Cézanne’s painting The Card Players.
Symbolized by Hearts, this episode draws inspiration from the central figure in the painting. The two characters become travel companions for less than an hour.