Fireflies

By: fixxxie

With raw beauty and gritty emotion, this film portrays a segment of time in a gay Iranian's life as an immigrant who is temporarily living in Veracruz, Mexico while trying to find a way to Turkey or Greece. The excellent, nuanced acting by the lead character and supporting cast, along with the creative and atmospheric cinematography, realistically capture the anxiety, sadness, loneliness, homesickness, fears, frustrations, desires and momentary joys that are experienced by a man drifting amongst unfamiliar environments and a spectrum of people focused on their own goals and needs. As a glimpse of existential human pathos, the film does not flow with a defined beginning-to-end plot. Instead it wraps the viewer into the daily experiences, emotions and perspectives of a gay immigrant fleeing the dangers of his homeland while trying to find a safe and supportive space in a foreign, harsh environment.

By: Amos Lassen

"FIREFLIES"
A New Life
Amos Lassen
Directed by Bani Khoshnoudi and set in the port of Veracruz, "Fireflies" tells us the story of young Rami (Arash Marandi), who flees from Iran and travels on a cargo ship bound for Mexico.
He will face a new language and a new culture. He. meets Leti and Guillermo and they create a strong bond that helps him in his new life. What the director is trying to do is to with current issues in order to insure the relevance of the film today.
He makes us feel like Rami who is a vulnerable character, lonely and far from home, with barriers that he will have to be overcome. And to this end, "Fireflies" works wonderfully,
Marandi's performance, achieves empathy with the public and causes us to fight his battles with him. This is a film with a clear and powerful message.