Louie, Abdu and Faris are three gay Palestinian men living on the run in Tel Aviv, Israel. Directed by Yariv Mozer The Invisible Men makes little attempt to comment on the political climate that creates the living situation these men face. Instead, it follows their journeys through legal council in order to access asylum in Western countries. They won’t learn the status of their requests until they are is accepted — in which case they leave all they know in mere weeks — or denied, in which case they continue the cycle of illegal immigration, prison, release and undercover living. They have no choice in selecting the countries they could eventually live. Despite the discrimination they face, the weight of leaving their homes is no small burden.
The film itself is sentimental and intimate, though it doesn’t truly delve into what living illegally, in some cases for up to 10 years, really looks like. Something in Mozer’s point of view, the way it is shot, the tight angles, the shadowy corners really feels like what a mind forced to hide might feel like. But there seems many moments in which he could sink more into the reality. At times, Mozer’s closeness to his subjects seems to get in the way of story telling; to ask for more from the men interviewed might be too much. The film does a great job of introducing these men whose bravery is irrefutable, but leaves the viewer a little flat.
Mon., Feb. 4 • The Vic • 9:30pm
Review by Colin Cayer