'Flee': The Search for Home
The film opens with Amin, the main character, running through his neighborhood in a light blue dress. We later find out this is his sister’s nightgown that he has begun to wear. The main character, who the story is about, is one the verge of marriage and must confront his past.
Flee captures the life of a man throughout his many homes. The movie is animated, with inserts of real footage.
Amin is Afghani as well as gay, his past was something that he kept secret. The movie builds on the little information we know about Amin. It is structured as an interview. Amin is asked to tell “us” about his past, we then get a glimpse into it. Amin is a few years younger than me when he is smuggled into Denmark, alone. Although I am on the verge of leaving behind my adolescence I couldn’t imagine undergoing what he went through. Although I have been fortunate enough to travel, I have never done so alone. Even when traveling with others it is easy to get overwhelmed. When it came to this scene in the movie I started to feel his panic. I started asking myself what I would do if it was me? Would I be able to do it?
This film allows the viewer to reflect on what home really is. Although Amin may have first thought of home as his house in Afghanistan, as his journey continues he is faced with the realization that this is no longer the case. For many years he and his family lived in Russia, however, in his eyes that was never his home. Finally at the end of the move we see Amin buying a house with his partner, and for the first time in many years he has a home. Not because of the four walls that make up the house, but rather because for the first time in many years he feels supported and connected. In a sense the finally scene is a rebirth for Amin.
A blog by Mabel Bates
