Blush - An Extraordinary Voyage is a short film by the Finnish documentarist and stop motion artist Iiti Yli-Harja. The film is done entirely in stop motion animation with clay puppets. Yli-Harja is known for incorporating surrealistic elements into her films. Set on a rocket ship, two best friends Fatu and Rai, are getting ready to go to the local K-Mart. Throughout the film, Fatu is getting texts from his mom reminding him about his flight to Kosovo that’s leaving soon. 

This film is about the intense and complicated emotions Fatu is feeling, his anxiety and excitement about going out in public in makeup for the first time, coupled with his anxiety about traveling to Kosovo to visit family. He is upset about leaving Rai and what could happen in Kosovo. 

The film does not explain or directly call out Fatu’s gender or sexuality, he is just someone who wants to wear makeup outside the house, something that could be dangerous when he travels outside of Finland and away from his support system. This trip to K-Mart is special because it will be Fatu’s first time out of the house in “full glam.” He has previously worn some mascara while out he has only really worn makeup while inside. His parents, while fine with him wearing makeup inside the house, do not like him wearing it out. 

Fatu discusses how he is scared of what might happen to him in Kosovo. While in Finland he feels anxious but ultimately comfortable going out in makeup. In Kosovo though, he will have to hide this part of himself and act more masculine. He jokes about the potential of being hate crimed and how he will have to “man up” when he is there. There is a tension that he carries as he does his makeup. Not only will this be the first time he goes out in public with it, it is also the last time he will get to for a while. 

The setting and puppets make Blush - An Extraordinary Voyage a rather surreal film. This is balanced with the grounded dialogue which was mostly recorded in situ as the real person Fatu got ready to go out in a full face of makeup for the first time. 

The dialogue is messy and realistic, with awkward pauses, strange turns of phrase, and slang that reflect the way teenagers talk to one another. The characters pause their conversation to sing along to the music playing or sit together in silence together. The love Fatu and Rai have for each other is also very evident in their discussions. This is as much a film about teenage friendship as it is a film about gender expression. 

This is contrasted with the expressive and odd looking puppets, with fingerprints still visible in the clay of their faces, of the two characters. They are borderline grotesque, with their facial expressions being exaggerated through their mouths (the only part of their faces that moves) and jerky movements. The combination of surreal setting and puppetry and real dialogue creates a beautiful effect that captivates the viewer. 

Through the focus on a snapshot of time the film is able to show the emotional experience putting on makeup can be. Even for one person the experience can vary widely depending on where in the world they are and how they otherwise outwardly express their gender. Fatu’s relationship with makeup is different in Finland than it is in Kosovo, the same way it is different inside and outside the safety of his house.

The 2024 ReFrame Festival runs from January 25th-February 4th. A list of films, tickets to events and screenings, and more information can be found on the Festival Website.