Hearts and Bones

The fiction feature debut of Australian director Ben Lawrence, “Hearts and Bones” explores the life-long traces of trauma with uncommon compassion and intelligence.

Sydney-based photojournalist Dan Fisher (Hugo Weaving) has spent decades documenting war zones — and ignoring the effect his work has had on his psyche. Returning home from his latest assignment to prepare for an exhibition, Dan is blindsided by two surprises. The first is the news that, years after the couple lost their child, Dan’s wife Josie is pregnant. The second is the arrival of Sebastian, a South Sudanese refugee who’s heard about Dan’s work. Like Dan, Sebastian doesn’t speak to his wife about the horrors he’s experienced. He wants to bury the past — and the evidence. Dan is compelled to comply, but closer examination raises questions about what it is exactly that Sebastian is trying to forget.