Irony of hostility
The film entails the quandaries that refugees face while fleeing or seeking asylum in foreign nations. The family encounter acts of violence and aggression on their path to safety and security. Though they escaped their homeland due to the threat to their lives, they still encounter much more hostility. The irony of coming across anti-immigrant sentiments in potential safe havens and camps adds to the cruelty upon refugees.
Red tape
Hassan and his family highlight the bureaucracy that hinders the procedure of seeking asylum in foreign nations. Initially, before they fled they attempted to petition for asylum while in Tajikistan which months later was unsuccessful. Thus, the narrative expounds on the corruption, red tape, and international relations that overwhelm vulnerable immigrants in their endeavors.
Irony of filmmaking
The documentary is meta-textual in nature since the process of making it is part of the larger narrative. Hassan is one of the subjects and as the director includes his predicaments in filming his own story in the film. In one instance, he informs the viewer of the moment of clarity he had when the line between being father and filmmaker blurred.
Refugee Status
The film documents the hurdles that come with the refugee status and more so acquiring the status itself. Akin to other asylum seekers, the family has to continually break the law of the land in order to find refuge. The refugees have to cross borders illegally to reach the locations where they will acquire the status and be recognized officially as refugees.
Dancing to “They Don’t Care About Us”
The documentary captures significant moments in the family’s lives that convey the rawness of their experience. The instance Hassan dances to Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” highlights these moments of joy in the face of adversity. Importantly, it is fitting to their situation as refugees facing the injustices in the system.
