Mobile Review
As this nine-minute short film begins, the audience hears multiple voices in conversation as a hand points towards a map. Then the camera slowly moves away to show the shadow-covered faces of the people in the room as they discuss some refugees stuck on the journey away from the place they once called home. Only a minute later is the protagonist, Walid, introduced. He is not just a part of this group of people. He is so immersed in this crowd of people struggling to get their families to safety, that his struggle falls short in comparison to others. In this scene, he blends in so deeply with the rest that it is only after he leaves that room that his personality comes forth. This opening sequence serves to establish the tone of Mobile, written and directed by Truls Krane Meby. Walid represents the lost refugee, whom many have forgotten, but who still has a story and fears, including the fate of his family, still stuck in the war-infested region.
The film is a very distinct portrayal of a unique side of the refugee crisis. Here the emphasis isn’t on the state of the refugees in the war regions, nor is it on their struggle to adapt in society after moving away from those areas. Instead, the focus is on a young boy and his fear for his family who still remain in an unsafe place. Even though it is directly in the midst of the refugee crisis, it still gives a distant perspective, as the audience is never given a direct view of what is happening to those people stuck in the region. Yet, the distance serves to be equally as powerful. The boy’s helpless nature, the separation from his family, makes him unable to comprehend the situation. This fear of not knowing what will happen to them keeps him up at night. And this is what maintains audience engagement.
Jawad Alkadhmani, who plays the central character of Walid, is extremely powerful. From his eyes to his behavior, everything is meant to emulate the young innocence of a boy. Walid is a complex character in an awkward situation. He is a seventeen year-old boy, who is meant to be innocent since he hasn’t even reached adulthood yet. But, due to unfortunate circumstances, he is forced to grow up earlier than expected, and express maturity in order to take the responsibility of his family that is still in danger. This is a very precarious situation that he must handle with maturity.
The only issue with this film is, that despite the fact that it truly captures the essence of the refugee crisis, it isn’t able to create an emotional connect with the main protagonist. It would have helped to see more of the boy’s face on camera. Most of the crucial scenes are done with the face either away from the camera, or in the shadows of darkness. While this seems to be a aesthetic decision taken by writer-director Truls Krane Meby, it doesn’t work in the intended way.
After working on multiple shorts in the past couple of years, Truls Krane Meby has made another important short. While there may be some flaws in the way the film is shot, certain aspects of it such as the stillness of the shots in contrast to the loud, forewarning background music, work for the film. It doesn’t emotionally connect, yet it focuses on the right tones, to position this story. The fact that it is bringing an untold side of the refugee crisis to the forefront makes this film such an important and moving creation.