| dc.description.abstract | Animated documentaries offer a form of representation that live-action cannot always
provide. The dominant focus within literature about animated documentary overlooks
this aspect. Previous research mostly examined either the history of animated
documentary or tried devising modes or functions. While interesting and important, I
argue it is also valuable to look at how animation can aid the way something or someone
is represented. By analysing how the animation functions in the animated documentary
Flugt (2021), I looked at how this contributed to a more positive understanding of
refugees, as this is one of the central themes of the film. I found the animation provided
means to visualize Amin’s (main protagonist) story in a way live-action could not always
have done. It stood in for footage that was not or could not have been shot, while also
being able to visualize feelings that enhanced the tone of the film. Subsequently, this
supported a positive representation of the refugee experience, contradicting dominant
portrayals in other media. Because of the intersectional approach of the film, another
aspect of his identity, being queer, has been interwoven throughout the documentary.
This put forward a complex representation that showed why making these kind of films
matter, and why more research toward the potential of animated documentaries should
be done. | |
