“Flee”: Breaking the Boundaries of Modern Animation
“What does the word ‘home’ mean to you? Home? It’s someplace safe.” Flee, a new Sundance film written and directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, is the untold story of a young refugee boy, Amin, and his family as they escape their violent life in Afghanistan. Flee is told in a documentary-style of animation, depicting Amin’s story as a child, while also showing the present day and his struggles as an adult. What makes this story unique and masterful is the way it cuts real footage of the war in Afghanistan into the animation. By juxtaposing the traditional joyful tone of animation and the traumatic journey of a young refugee boy, it has more of an empathic influence on the viewer. For instance, the film features the contrast between images of the violence against civilians as a means of warfare, and the innocent portrayal of a child flying a kite.
Not only is this film emotional and inspiring in its execution, but it also focuses on a universal coming of age experience: discovering and accepting one’s sexuality. Amin opens up about being gay towards the beginning of the film, and it remains a significant theme throughout. As a member of Teen Council, the subject of tackling the social stigma of being queer is very important to me. I grew up in a progressive household and social group that supports all aspects of the LGBTQ+ community. In contrast to my childhood, Amin lives with the long-held belief of his culture that homosexuality is a disease to be cured. As an adult, he talks about how scary it can be to be confused by feelings of attraction while in the midst of an extremely traumatic childhood while finding one's sexuality through adolescent experiences.
Although sorrowful, this film is extremely inspirational and hopeful and shows how powerful film, especially animation, truly is. As the artform of animation progresses through the years, the “rules” are breaking and this film does not conform to the traditional conventions of modern animation. By displaying beautiful art amidst social and political brutality, it reinforces the value of truly happy moments in one’s life. By exhibiting Amin’s childhood crushes through lighthearted 80’s music and tender touches, the viewer almost forgets about the terrifying nature of his day to day life. The power of these types of films is they show the stories in which many people, including myself, will never experience. For this reason, the fact that ‘Flee’ is animated has substantially more impact on the viewer. In addition, this film is reminiscent of the present day. Whether it's the images of political corruption, or the modern refugee crisis, ‘Flee’ is a much-needed tear-jerking piece of art like no other.
- Written by Marley Robinson
