The 2003 animated film about a clownfish searching for his son is Finding Nemo.
Directed by Andrew Stanton and produced by Pixar for Walt Disney Pictures, the film follows Marlin, an overprotective clownfish whose son Nemo is captured and taken far from home. Marlin crosses the ocean with Dory, a forgetful regal blue tang, while Nemo faces challenges in a Sydney fish tank.
The story grew from Stanton’s childhood fascination with aquarium fish and his reflections on being an overprotective parent. Pixar animators studied fish biology and oceanography to make the underwater movement and environments convincing. The film’s emotional center is not only the rescue mission but also Marlin learning to trust Nemo’s independence.
Finding Nemo became one of Pixar’s defining successes, praised for its animation, humor, characters, and Thomas Newman’s score. It is often mixed up with Finding Dory, the 2016 sequel, which follows Dory’s search for her own family. Shark Tale, released in the same era, is a separate animated fish comedy.