Schedule

Sunday, March 20, 2022
3 p.m. Film Screening
4:30 p.m. Pre-taped conversation with the director 

Groundbreaking animated documentary and Academy Award nominee Flee tells the story of Amin Nawabi and his extraordinary journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan. As Amin speaks with director Jonas Phar Rasmussen, he grapples with a painful secret he has kept hidden for 20 years, one that threatens to derail the life he has built for himself and his soon to be husband. Flee is a timely and timeless exploration of the effects of war and displacement, and the consequences of confronting one’s past.

Nominated for the Academy Awards in three categories — Best International Film, Best Documentary Feature, and Best Animated Feature Film — Flee has made Oscars history. Asia Society Texas is thrilled to bring one of the most acclaimed and awarded films of the year to Houston, one week before the Academy Awards ceremony. The screening will be followed by a pre-taped conversation with the director.

Awards and Nominations: National Society of Film Critics – Best Non-Fiction Film; 2021 New York Film Critics Circle – Best Non-Fiction Film; 2021 British Independent Film Awards – Best International Independent Film; 2021 Sundance Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize World Cinema Documentary; 2021 Golden Globe Awards – Nomination for Best Animated Feature; 2021 Festival de Cannes – Official Selection

About the Director

Jonas Poher Rasmussen is a Danish/French film director born in 1981. He debuted in 2006 with the acclaimed TV documentary Something About Halfdan, followed by a series of radio documentaries from around the world. He graduated from the Danish film school Super16 in 2010. His feature film debut Searching for Bill, a mix of documentary and fiction, won him the Nordic Dox award at CPH:DOX, and the international competition prize at DocAviv. In November 2015 he premiered his documentary What He Did, which won the prestigious Fipresci (Int. Federation of Film Critics) at Thessaloniki Film Fest. 2016. His new film Flee, an animated documentary about a close friend, was officially selected for Cannes 2020, won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, the best doc prize at Gothenburg and the Cristal award at Annecy among others.

Performing Arts and Culture programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Syamal and Susmita Poddar. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment, and The Brown Foundation Inc. Generous funding also provided by AARP, The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, The Clayton Fund, and Miller Theatre Advisory Board. Additional support provided by the Wortham Foundation, Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, United Airlines, and through contributions from the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional programming and exhibitions to Asia Society Texas Center.

Performing Arts and Culture Presenting Sponsors

Syamal and Susmita Poddar

Official Airline Sponsor

Performing Arts and Culture Program Sponsors

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.