Thank you to the Academy!

Jonas Poher Rasmussen and Flee didn’t win the Academy Awards, but he and the film won our hearts. Here’s the acceptance speech we had all hoped to hear from the stage on March 27th 2022.

Many people from the Danish animation and documentary business was glued to the TV-screens on March 27th, hoping for FLEE to sweep the 94th Academy Awards from its staggering and historical three nominations, one for Best Animation, one for Best Documentary, and one for Best Foreign Film. 

No other film in the history of the Academy Awards have been nominated in all three categories.

As we now know, Flee didn’t win the sought-after statuette, but, both Flee and Jonas Poher Rasmussen won our hearts, and gave us renewed energy and hope for animation as an art form that can tell compelling and important stories, also when it’s not targeted at kids.

WeAnimate Magazine has the immense pleasure of presenting the speech which Jonas Poher Rasmussen wasn’t able to give from the stage at the Kodak Theatre. 

We are proud to be his stage:

Still from “Flee”. @Final Cut for Reel & Sun Creature

The speech in full:

Thank you to the academy!
When we started making FLEE 9 years ago I had no clue where this story would take us. As the reach of the film has been growing, so has its relevance sadly. And here we are, with a war in Ukraine, a collapsed Afghanistan and new waves of refugees all over the world.

I want to say thank you to you Amin for trusting me with your story. I know that you by now understand the impact it has across the world. Because your story is not just your story. It’s unfortunately the story of millions and millions of people looking for a place in the world where they can be safe. Whether it’s a refugee from Afghanistan fleeing persecution or a gay kid looking for a place in the world where he or she is accepted for being who they are.

I have a note from Amin:

“Growing up as an outsider I miss hearing stories about how people from different places and cultures are capable of living in harmony. I know we can do that, because people all over the world do in general have the same core human values of being kind, helpful, caring and trusting. We should highlight these values, instead of demonizing each other and focusing on what is dividing us.

I am humble and grateful for how my story has been received. For that I thank you all from bottom of my heart. Thank you all for the heartfelt reception, this really means a lot to me! “

This award is for the amazing team. This is for trusting our fellow humans. This is for all the Amins in the world and for my friend.

Thank you!

Written by Jonas Poher Rasmussen