The port city becomes the last refuge for many fleeing individuals, characterized by uncertainty about the future, fear of persecution, and a longing for freedom, creating an atmosphere of claustrophobic stasis amid historic upheaval.

The young American Varian Fry, through courage, determination, and a network of like-minded individuals, becomes a beacon of hope by working to rescue refugees, demonstrating civil courage and humanity in barbaric times.

The escape of intellectuals represents not just individual survival but the preservation of culture and free thinking, with their works standing as testimony against oppression and ensuring their ideas survive for future generations.