Fremont achieved an overall appreciation score of 73.4%. Most members found this beautifully filmed, funny and quirky; while a minority found it boring, predictable and slow. Some of the comments submitted:
- Quietly thought-provoking – great performance by central character.
- Given the subject matter it maintained an extraordinary restraint, avoiding virtually all of the obvious pitfalls: the black and white set the tone and the avoidance of flashbacks and the universal decency of the characters , combined with a gentle humour made it both generous and sobering. Thank you.
- Beautifully filmed, magnetic central performance, dry wit throughout but also deep. Nice to have an immigrant story that is told in a different way.
- Best film you’ve put on this season! Beautiful cinematography and sound. And the deadpan humour – landed perfectly with the audience – was great to have a laugh with everyone!
- Wonderfully quirky and full of humour. Lovely cinematography.
- Yet just another wonderful thoughtful and inspiring film. Very many thanks indeed.
- A really beautiful film. Lyrical, funny, serious and very well put together with a lovely quirky ending.
- Really enjoyed this film. Found it quirky, interesting and an unusual take on the subject of immigration and post traumatic stress disorder.
- Thought provoking but a bit obtuse at times. Useful to read the analysis afterwards.
- Well filmed, excellent acting, funny at times but too slow for me, making me fidget and look at my watch.
- Strange film, but superb performance by lead. Did not have a real start or finish, but enjoyable.
- Charming in the face of weighty reality. Exquisite characters and performances.
- Well acted especially the lead actress. Rather odd and fractured with some strange characters (especially the psychiatrist!) but I guess this was to reflect her situation of fleeing from the terrible situation in Kabul and having to build a new life in an unknown country. Very much her view of what she was absorbing from and reacting to everything and everyone she came across in her new life.
- I enjoyed it but it was difficult to follow without re-reading the Sight & Sound commentary. For me it will be worth watching again.
- An enjoyable insight into the life of an Afghan refugee, expressed with a delicate, wry sense of humour, and, refreshingly, with no hint of melodrama, and retaining a positive tone throughout.
- Not my favourite. I wanted to love it – but some of the acting was too am dreamy. And didn’t set well besides proper actors. I’m getting bored of black and white – and the editing was like a 6th form project.
- A slight film with some interesting sections. The scenes with Anaita Wali Zada and Jeremy Allen White were captivating and the use of the magical Vashti Bunyan song ‘Diamond Day’ transported the film from California to rural England at a stroke.
- Boring, dull, dire characters. The film was about as interesting as watching paint dry and as monotone as the black and white imagery.
- Slow, predictable and boring. Poor choice – especially for this particular evening. Thank God for the wine and cheese afterwards!!!