During the film, Flee, I noticed one scene that caught my attention from the very beginning. This was an amazing scene that hooked me, a viewer, into the film and worked perfectly. It all started with Amin Nawabi starting his flashback with his eyes closing. I believe stories are powerful and help convey their importance if told through memories or flashbacks.
The closing of the eyes indicated that things will be told in sequential order, from the very beginning of the story. This is a powerful technique in films and helps to capture the viewer’s attention and to keep their attention for the rest of the film.
The start of Nawabi’s story is very intriguing, as we get to find out soon that his family is alive and well, but he isn’t strong enough to reveal the information yet. During this moment in the film, we realize that Nawabi has been burdened by not only his sexual identity but also by hiding the secrets of his family and his origins as well. Being a Muslim and a gay man is very difficult and even harder to hold a secret for so long, yet Nawabi was able to hold it in for 20 years. I can attest to this because being a gay Muslim is very unorthodox and unheard of. Not only will it create an uproar within society but even more so within the family. All in all, Amin Nawabi was able to tell his life story and how he came to be who he is and why he is the way he is, helps me better understand the situations that he was put in, throughout his lifetime.
Another great aspect of the film was the idea of Amin Nawabi and his family constantly being on the move. The emphasis on being a refugee and not having a “home” creates sympathy/empathy for Nawabi. This was a great use of Pathos by the creator of the film. Using such scenes, like the one where Nawabi, his brother, and his mother are walking through a forest, to a boat that will take them to Sweden, helps bring out the emotions of the viewers and helps them retain their attention throughout the film. This scene was a pivotal moment in the film as we get to see how Nawabi and his family were involved in such terrifying circumstances and were able to escape alive, yet again, proving the vital usage of pathos within the film.
In the end, it was an amazing film that was organized, directed, and produced in a great manner. Being able to take a ride down memory lane with Amin Nawabi, helped me to take a hold of my relatable identity. This film created a stronger foundational base for me and how I see myself as being a gay man just like Amin Nawabi. It helped reinforce the fact that I cannot escape my past by hiding it but by being able to face it head-on.
I agree! I also focused my reading response on the flashbacks style used in the film, but I like how you focused on the idea of him closing his eyes at the very beginning of the film-I hadn’t thought about that specifically. I definitely think the flashbacks helped to show how much Nawabi had changed and grown as a person and how much he went through, helping to highlight how his specific journey was unique.
Your remark about the closing of the eyes and flashback thereafter indicating that the story would be told in chronological order is very observant and insightful. I definitely had not thought about the significance of that scene. I did, however, focus on the irony that he reveals first that his family is dead and then that he has been carrying this false burden with him in order to protect himself and everyone he loves, so it is interesting to put it together with the fact that he closes his eyes before retelling his story.
I found it really inspiring that you found yourself in this film, and it reminds me that many people in this world will find themselves relating to it. There are still global conflicts where refugees are doing everything they can to escape, and it’s only becoming more difficult. Others are still trying to find their place in the world, and still trying to find acceptance where they feel they can’t. It’s stories like these that are necessary to show these struggles, or else no one will understand them.
I completely agree with your statement about how stories can be more powerful if they are told through memories and flashbacks. The style through which the story was told helped hold the audience’s attention the whole time. I’m also glad that you were able to see yourself in Amin, as that just deepens the connection you may feel to his story. Being able to relate to his struggles can only make it more meaningful.