HEARTS AND BONES
An Australian photographer who has documented some of the world’s worst conflicts must reckon with his demons when one of his former subjects re-enters his life.
Physically and emotionally scarred after decades of capturing wars and atrocities, Dan Fisher (Hugo Weaving) returns to Sydney for an exhibition of his work. Dan is accused by critics of trafficking in “misery porn,” though he views his photos as a vital way to draw attention to injustice and human suffering. But he’s forced to call his noble intentions into question when good-natured taxi driver Sebastian (Andrew Luri) turns up on his doorstep. Sebastian emigrated to Australia from his native South Sudan and implores Dan not to exhibit horrific photos of his home country in the upcoming retrospective. Instead, Sebastian encourages Dan to take pictures of his choir, which is made up mostly of refugees who have fled violence in their homelands. An unlikely bond forms between the two men, though a dark secret hidden in one of Dan’s photos dramatically shifts their dynamic. With his narrative feature debut, director Ben Lawrence deftly traces the parallels and profound disparities between the two men, who are movingly brought to life by both veteran performer Weaving and first-time actor Luri.
CAST: HUGO WEAVING, ANDREW LURI, HAYLEY MCELHINNEY, BOLUDE WATSON
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