After a literally explosive beginning that is shattering to mind and body, HEARTS AND BONES takes its audience from war ravaged Africa to peace savaged Australia.
Surviving his latest assignment, conflict shutterbug, Daniel Fisher, returns home to the news of his partner’s pregnancy, a fact not very pleasing for reasons that become apparent as the time for him becoming a parent draws closer.
Imminent fatherhood is not the focus of this fabled but flawed photographer, however, as he begins preparations for an upcoming exhibition and his next overseas assignment.
In contrast, South Sudanese refugee, Sebastian Aman has created a safe life in Australia with his new wife, Anishka Ahmed, and child. He suspects his peaceful life will be disturbed when Dan’s exhibition threatens to display photographs of a massacre that occurred in Sebastian’s home village, 15 years earlier. When Sebastian approaches Dan with an appeal to not display any images of the massacre, a wary relationship develops.
When Dan unearths disturbing details surrounding Sebastian’s past instigated by a candid camera shot, the startling discovery and its subsequent revelations spiral into a moral maelstrom.
Hugo Weaving stars as PTSD and fatherhood phobic photographer, but it’s scene-stealer Bolude Watson as Anishka Ahmed who steals the show. It is through her character and performance that we feel in our hearts and our bones that HEARTS AND BONES is a film about regrowth and rebuilding, tackling tragedy by acknowledging it and move on. A belief and a determination in the constructive rising from the destructive.
Writer director Ben Lawrence has fashioned an impassioned narrative about the plight of refugees, the displacement, the disruption and the destruction of lives and livelihoods.
It’s an interesting study of the wounded male versus the pragmatic female, the women in this narrative are so much stronger, progressive, positive and pro active.
As we practise social distancing, HEARTS AND BONES gives us pause to reflect about distancing ourselves against the plague of prejudice that so often threatens to harden our hearts and break our bones.
HEARTS & BONES will release on digital from May 6th via iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, Sony PlayStation, Telstra and Fetch TV, followed by DVD on June 3rd.
