Watch Flee

Flee is a powerful and emotional documentary-style animated film from director Jonas Poher Rasmussen. The film tells the story of Amin Nawabi, a man who fled the war in Afghanistan as a child and is now living and working in Denmark. Throughout the film, Amin recounts his incredible journey to the audience, all while grappling with the trauma of his past.

The film is based on a true story, and it uses a mix of animation styles to bring Amin's memories to life. At times, the animation is realistic and detailed, depicting violent and disturbing events from Amin's childhood. At other times, the animation is more abstract and dreamlike, illustrating the emotions and fears that continue to haunt Amin as an adult.

The film is also an exploration of the concept of identity, as Amin struggles to reconcile his past with his present. He is continually haunted by the memories of his childhood and the trauma that he experienced, which makes it difficult for him to form connections with those around him. However, as the film unfolds, Amin begins to open up to his partner, Kasper, and eventually to the filmmakers themselves.

Flee is a powerful and unsparing look at the refugee experience, and it's an important and timely film given the ongoing global refugee crisis. The film also tackles issues of mental health and trauma, which are often neglected in discussions of refugee resettlement.

Throughout the film, Amin's story is interspersed with footage of Denmark's political debates surrounding refugee policy, which serves to highlight the stark contrast between the country's attitudes towards refugees and the reality of the refugee experience.

In terms of the technical aspects of the film, the animation is masterful and seamlessly integrated with live-action footage. The sound design is also excellent, with ambient sounds and music adding to the emotional impact of the film.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Flee is the way that it humanizes its subject, showcasing Amin as a complex and multifaceted individual rather than reducing him to a stereotype of the "traumatized refugee". This is achieved through both the animation style and Amin's own willingness to share his story in all its messiness and complexity.

Overall, Flee is a stunning and deeply affecting film that tackles complex and difficult subject matter with sensitivity and nuance. It is both an immersive and emotional viewing experience, and a powerful call to action for those who are in a position to help refugees like Amin.

Flee is a 2021 animated movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes. It has received poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.9 and a MetaScore of 91.