Immigration seems to be the new school shootings, meaning, most have heard so many stories, both news and renditions (American Dirt and Dreamers just to name one) that to make a documentary about the topic is risky due to public news fatigue. CLARIFICATION: to me, both topics are still VERY important and relevant. Further proof of apathy (Or bias?) is that even the news media isn’t giving the border crisis as much attention, nor the 34 people who recently perished in the Gulf coming from the Bahamas. BUT Flee was a really thoughtful and unique story of a Iranian making it to first Russia, and then finally to Denmark.
I already knew I’d like the film (my bias) due to an opening slide listing Riz Ahmed as one of the executive producers, whose choice of films and spirit seem to be one of the purest in Hollywood today.
Jonas Poher Rasmussen wrote (with the help of his subject and friend, the man who ‘fled’ Amin Nawabi) and directed the animated documentary in which he added live action shots of all three locales to give the historical background of the difficulty of the people of Kabul, the corruption of Russia and the serenity of Denmark.
Two parts that were particularly moving to me were the scenes within the sealed, overcrowded ship’s base and the animation of Amin as he gazed up at the cruise ship from their refugee boat where he fully realizes, unlike his fellow passengers, that this ship was not going to save them. Heartbreaking.
An excellent film to wake you up to how lucky we have it here and how we need to stop the divisiveness. Let’s go back to the America where people can have a non-hateful opinion without being cancelled.
Flee, Moving and Commendable
