Flee (film)

Flee (Danish: Flugt) is a 2021 animated documentary film directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen. It follows the story of a man named Amin, who shares his hidden past for the first time, of fleeing his country. Riz Ahmed and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau serve as executive producers.

Flee
Promotional release poster
DanishFlugt
Directed byJonas Poher Rasmussen
Written by
  • Jonas Poher Rasmussen
  • Amin
Produced by
CinematographyMauricio Gonzalez-Aranda
Edited byJanus Billeskov Jansen
Music byUno Helmersson
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • January 28, 2021 (2021-01-28) (Sundance)
  • December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) (United States)
Running time
90 minutes[2]
Countries
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • France
  • Sweden
  • Norway
  • Denmark
Languages
  • English
  • Danish
Box office$44,984[3][4]

The film had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 28, 2021. It was released in theaters in the United States on December 3, 2021, by Neon and Participant.[5] It receives critical acclaim from film festivals and critics alike for animation, story, thematic content, and subject matter; winning numerous awards including one of the top documentaries at National Board of Review.[6]

It was selected as the Danish entry for the Best International Feature Film, and was shortlisted for Best Animated Feature as a contender at the 94th Academy Awards.[7][8]

Plot

The film follows Amin, who, on the verge of marrying his husband, shares his story for the first time about his hidden past fleeing his home country of Afghanistan to Denmark as a refugee.

Production

In January 2021, it was announced Riz Ahmed and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau would serve as executive producers on the film, and narrate an English-language version of the film.[9]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 28, 2021.[10] Shortly after, Neon/Participant, Curzon Artificial Eye and Haut et Court acquired US, British and French distribution rights to the film respectively.[1][11][12] The film was initially set to have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2020, but the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] It was also screened at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2021 New York Film Festival in September 2021.[14]

The film was released in theaters by NEON and Participant on December 3, 2021.[15]

Reception

Box office

In its opening weekend, the film earned $24,794 from 4 theaters.[16]

Critical response

Flee received critical acclaim, with Sundance juror Kim Longinotto calling it "an instant classic" at the festival's awards ceremony.[17] It holds a 98% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 100 reviews, with a weighted average of 8.50/10. The critics consensus reads "Depicting the refugee experience through vivid animation, Flee pushes the boundaries of documentary filmmaking to present a moving memoir of self-discovery."[18] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 91 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[19] The film review website UK Film Review gave Flee a 5-star rating [20]

Awards and nominations

At Sundance, the film won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Documentary section.[21] It was subsequently screened at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Feature Film.[21]

At the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, the film was second runner-up for the People's Choice Award for Documentaries.[22] It is also nominated for two Critics' Choice Documentary Awards, for Best Feature and Best Director. [23]

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Sundance Film Festival February 3, 2021 World Cinema Documentary Competition Flee Won [24]
Annecy International Animation Film Festival June 19, 2021 Best Feature Won [25]
Gan Foundation Award for Distribution Won
Best Original Music for a Feature Film Uno Helmersson Won
Toronto International Film Festival September 18, 2021 People's Choice Award for Documentaries Flee Runner-up [22]
Out on Film October 22, 2021 Best International Film - Audience Award Won [26]
Montclair Film Festival November 2, 2021 Audience Award for World Cinema Won [27]
Bruce Sinofsky Prize for Documentary Feature Jonas Poher Rasmussen Won
Newport Beach Film Festival November 3, 2021 Best Animated Feature - Audience Award Flee Won [28]
Critics' Choice Documentary Awards November 14, 2021 Best Documentary Feature Nominated [23]
Best Director Jonas Poher Rasmussen Nominated
Manchester Animation Festival November 25, 2021 Best Feature Film Flee Won [29]
Gotham Independent Film Awards November 29, 2021 Best Documentary Feature Won [30]
National Board of Review December 3, 2021 Top Documentaries Won [6]
NBR Freedom of Expession Won
New York Film Critics Circle December 3, 2021 Best Non-Fiction Film Won [31]
Detroit Film Critics Society December 6, 2021 Best Documentary Won (Tied with "Summer of Soul") [32]
Best Animated Feature Nominated
British Independent Film Awards December 5, 2021 Best International Independent Film Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Amin Nawabi, Monica Hellstrøm, Signe Byrge Sørensen Won [33]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards December 6, 2021 Best Animated Feature Flee Nominated [34]
Best Documentary Nominated
European Film Awards December 11, 2021 Best Documentary Film Won [35]
Best Animated Feature Film Won
New York Film Critics Online December 12, 2021 Best Documentary Won [36]
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards December 12, 2021 Best Animated Film Won [37][38]
Philadelphia Film Critics Circle December 12, 2021 Best Animated Film Won [39]
Best Documentary Runner-up
Best Foreign Language Film Runner-up
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards December 15, 2021 Best Animated Film Won [40]
Best Documentary Film Nominated
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards December 19, 2021 Best Animated Film Pending [41]
Best Documentary Pending
Best Foreign Language Film Pending
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards December 21, 2021 Best Documentary Film Pending [42]
Best Animated Film Pending
Satellite Awards January 5, 2022 Best Animated or Mixed Media Film Pending [43]
Best Documentary Film Pending
Best Foreign Language Film Pending
Critics' Choice Awards January 9, 2022 Best Animated Feature Pending [44]
Best Foreign Language Film Pending
Golden Globe Awards January 9, 2022 Best Animated Feature Pending [45]
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards January 2022 Best Documentary Pending [46]
Best Animated Film Pending
Best Non-English-Language Film Pending
Cinema Eye Honors January 13, 2022 Outstanding Non-Fiction Feature Feature Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen Pending [47]
Audience Choice Prize Jonas Poher Rasmussen Pending
Outstanding Direction Pending
Outstanding Production Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen Pending
Outstanding Original Score Uno Helmersson Pending
Outstanding Sound Design Edward Björner and Tormod Ringnes Pending
Outstanding Graphic Design/Animation Kenneth Ladekjær Pending
The Unforgettables Amin Won
London Film Critics Circle Awards February 6, 2022 Documentary of the Year Flee Pending [48]
Technical Achievement Award Kenneth Ladekjær (animation) Pending
Producers Guild of America Awards February 26, 2022 Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures Flee Pending [49]
Independent Spirit Awards March 6, 2022 Best Documentary Feature Pending [50]

See also

References
  1. Donnelly, Matt (January 29, 2021). "Sundance Film 'Flee' Sells to Neon for Seven Figures". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  2. "Flee". Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  3. "Flee (2021)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  4. "Flee (2021)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  5. Ramos, Dino-Ray (2 February 2021). "Participant Teams With Neon On Jonas Poher Rasmussen's Documentary 'Flee' – Sundance". Deadline. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  6. Sharf, Zack (December 2, 2021). "National Board of Review Winners 2021: 'Licorice Pizza' Takes Best Picture and Best Director". IndieWire. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  7. "'Flee' selected as Danish Oscar entry". Danish Film Institute. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  8. "'Encanto,' 'The Mitchells vs. The Machines' and 'Flee' Among Top Animation Oscar Contenders". The Hollywood Reporter. 2021-11-15. Retrieved 2021-12-18.
  9. Barraclough, Leo (January 22, 2021). "Riz Ahmed and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Board Sundance Animated Documentary 'Flee' (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  10. Debruge, Peter (December 15, 2020). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Features 38 First-Time Directors, Including Rebecca Hall and Robin Wright". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  11. Day-Ramos, Dino (February 2, 2021). "Participant Teams With Neon On Jonas Poher Rasmussen's Documentary 'Flee' – Sundance". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  12. Rosser, Michael (February 2, 2021). "Buzzy Sundance film 'Flee' lands UK, France, Australia deals (exclusive)". Screen International. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  13. Roxborough, Scott (June 3, 2020). "Cannes 2020 Lineup Unveiled". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  14. Jeremy Kay, "‘Titane’, ‘Benedetta’, ‘Flee’ on New York Film Festival main slate". Screen Daily, August 10, 2021.
  15. Milligan, Mercedes (August 18, 2021). "Award-Winning AniDoc 'Flee' Arrives in Theaters December 3". Animation Magazine. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  16. "Domestic 2021 Weekend 49". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  17. Independent Cinema Office
  18. "Flee (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  19. "Flee". Metacritic. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  20. "Flee". UK Film Review. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  21. Lafontaine, Yves (June 21, 2021). "Un film d'animation sur le parcours d'un réfugié gai afghan triomphe au Festival d'Annecy". Fugues. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  22. Steve Pond, "‘Belfast’ Wins Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award". TheWrap, September 18, 2021.
  23. Lattanzio, Ryan (October 8, 2021). "'Ascension' and 'Summer of Soul' Lead Critics Choice Documentary Nominations". IndieWire. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  24. "2021 Sundance Film Festival Awards Announced". www.sundance.org. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  25. "Awards 2021". Annecy Festival. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  26. "Out On Film Announces Festival Filmmaker Award Recipients". Georgia Voice. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  27. "Montclair Film Festival Announces 2021 Award Winners". www.awardsdaily.com. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  28. "22ND ANNUAL NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2021 AWARDS WINNERS". newportbeachfilmfest.com. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  29. "'Flee' Scoops MAF's First Best Feature Film Gong & 'Hey Duggee' Wins Industry Excellence Award For Scriptwriting". Skwigly. November 25, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  30. Lattanzio, Ryan (November 30, 2021). "Gotham Awards: 'The Lost Daughter' Wins Top Prize — See the Full List of Winners". IndieWire. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  31. Hipes, Patrick (December 3, 2021). "'Drive My Car' Named Best Film By New York Film Critics Circle; Benedict Cumberbatch, Lady Gaga, 'West Side Story', 'Licorice Pizza' Take Other Prizes – Complete Winners List". Deadline. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  32. "Detroit Film Critics Society Announces 2021 Nominations". Hollywood Critics Association. December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  33. Ramachandran, Naman (November 3, 2021). "'Belfast,' 'Boiling Point' Lead BIFA Nominations". Variety. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  34. Eric, Anderson (December 4, 2021). "Washington DC Critics: 'Belfast,' 'The Power of the Dog' lead nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  35. Roxborough, Scott. "'Titane', 'Hand of God' Among European Film Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  36. Stone, Sasha (December 12, 2021). "The Power of the Dog Picks Up Best Picture at New York and Boston Online". Awards Daily. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  37. Vincent, Maxance (December 12, 2021). "2021 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards Announced". Awards Radar. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  38. Current Winners — 2021 Awards — Boston Society of Film Critics
  39. "2021 PFCC Annual Awards". Philafcc.org. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  40. Tallerico, Brian (December 13, 2021). "West Side Story Leads the 2021 Chicago Critics Nominees". RogerEbert. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  41. Neglia, Matt. "The 2021 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". NextBestPicture. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  42. Neglia, Matt (December 15, 2021). "The 2021 Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Nominations". NextBigPicture. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  43. Anderson, Erik (December 1, 2021). "'Belfast,' 'The Power of the Dog' lead 26th Satellite Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  44. Hammond, Pete (December 13, 2021). "Critics Choice Awards Film Nominations Led By 'Belfast' And 'West Side Story'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  45. Jordan, Moreau (December 13, 2021). "Golden Globes 2022: The Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  46. Tangcay, Jazz (December 10, 2021). "'The Power of the Dog, 'Passing' Lead Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award Nominations (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  47. Grobar, Matt (November 10, 2021). "'Flee' & 'Summer Of Soul' Lead Cinema Eye Honors Nominations". Deadline. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  48. Yossman, K.J. (December 16, 2021). "Female Filmmakers Shine at London Critics' Circle Film Awards With Nominations for Jane Campion, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Joanna Hogg". Variety. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  49. Pond, Steve (December 10, 2021). "'Ascension,' 'Flee' and 'Summer of Soul' Land Producers Guild Documentary Nominations". TheWrap. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  50. Long, Brent; Tangcay, Jazz (December 14, 2021). "Indie Spirit Awards 2022 Nominations (Updating Live)". Variety. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.