“Flee” is an incredibly poignant demonstration of how a refugee’s devastating trauma – stemming from years of violent upheaval, constant relocation, and dehumanizing experiences – has a lasting impact on the rest of his adult life. The remarkable true story is a moving account of relentless perseverance told through the lens of beautiful animation and striking sound design that pushes the boundaries of documentary filmmaking.
The story is told through a collection of interviews with a man in his mid-30s named Amin Nawabi (a pseudonym to protect his identity) as he recalls the distressing memories of barely escaping his home country of Afghanistan as an 11-year-old and the scarring fallout that ensued. He spent the majority of his young adulthood bouncing from country to country – either on the run or in hiding. In the midst of all of this sustained chaos and apprehension, Amin experienced his own personal struggles as he grappled with his developing sexual identity as a gay man born in a country that condemned homosexuality.
“In Afghanistan, homosexuals didn’t exist. There wasn’t even a word for them. They brought shame on the family, so it was hard to accept being gay,” he somberly explained.
More than two decades later – now residing in Copenhagen, Denmark – and on the eve of his marriage to long-time boyfriend, Kasper, he decides that confronting his past is the only way he can ever move forward with the next chapter of his life.
Despite the lack of an extensive filmmaking resume from behind-the-camera talent or any particularly well-known voice actors on screen, “Flee” is the first to earn Oscar nominations in three separate feature film categories – Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary Feature, and International Feature Film. Also, the Danish docudrama is tent-poled by a pair of notable executive producers in Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal,” “Nightcrawler”) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”).
Jonas Poher Rasmussen, both the director of “Flee” and a close friend of Amin, serves as a vessel for him to finally reveal the untold secrets surrounding his and his family’s shocking survival as Afghan refugees.
In large part due to their friendship of over 20 years, the two have innate chemistry as interviewer and interviewee (and as co-writers). Their deep rapport shines throughout the film as they laugh, cry, and at times just sit in silence together. Their genuine back-and-forth adds an element of rooted authenticity that many documentaries lack due to an inherent disconnect that oftentimes exists between subject and filmmaker.
Aside from the unbelievably gripping narrative at its core, it’s the distinctive art direction that truly sets “Flee” apart from other docudramas.
Whether it’s the vibrant primary colors of Amin’s childhood kite contrasted against the muted browns of Kabul or the harsh whites from the snow that surrounds him in Moscow, the animated visuals not only distinguish the varying locations but also capture Amin’s personal feelings about each of his many “homes.”
Although the majority of the story is told through the use of colorful 2D animation, the visuals also combine both sobering archival footage and black-and-white sketchbook-styled animation to illustrate some of the documentary’s most emotionally powerful moments. It helps impart deep feelings of pain and sadness that even his words could never fully convey.
The various natural sound that bleeds into the several conversations between Amin and Jonas retain the rawness of the documentary format and simultaneously remind the audience of the story’s realism. Amin’s boyfriend scrubbing dishes in the background of an impromptu recording session or birds chirping in the distance are minute details that add a unique sense of liveliness to both the moment-to-moment interactions and the real-life characters as well.
“Flee” showcases the reality of living as a refugee and the immense hardships that accompany those harrowing experiences. What started as an exercise in catharsis for Amin evolved into a probable touchpoint of inspiration for people who see themselves in his story. The animated docudrama is able to take an overwhelmingly macro issue and strip it down to its core to effectively engage the viewer in a far more intimate way. Amin’s honesty and vulnerability paired with Jonas’s inventive and creative approach to storytelling meld to form a powerful feature that won’t be forgotten any time soon.