Directed by Hassan Fazili, Midnight Traveler is, at its core, a documentary about refugees -- most prominently about the films director, Hassan Fazili. After the terrorist group The Taliban puts a bounty out on Fazili and his family's head, they must get out of areas in Taliban control in order to keep their lives. In the film, Fazili makes a considerable effort to show how dangerous the journey of refugees are -- whether it be weather, other people, or even a lack of funds. However, the film also makes a point to show how his family -- and the family of other refugees -- bond over this terrifying experience.
At release, Midnight Traveler received critical acclaim. Writes Vanessa Larson of The Washington Post: "In showing such a personal, unmediated view of the global migration crisis through one family's story, Midnight Traveler is a timely, essential film." Jenny Nulf of The Austin Chronicle liked the film, but much less than Larson. She wrote that "What makes Midnight Traveler distinct from its counterparts is that it follows filmmaker Hassan Fazili’s own family, and the intimacy he’s able to capture over the life spans of three iPhones makes his documentary more tender and honest and immediate."
