We’re next introduced to South Sudanese
refugee Sebastian Ahmed (Andrew Luri), who
works multiple jobs and dreams of buying a
house where he can finally make a home with his
pregnant wife Anishka (Bolude Watson) and
baby. Life is hard for Sebastian and about to get
harder when he learns Dan’s exhibition will
include images taken during a massacre in his
village 15 years earlier. Dark memories are
brought to the surface and he makes a decision
that will dramatically change both their lives.
He tracks down the photographer to ask
him to exclude the offending pictures from the
exhibition and they meet just as Dan receives
startling news from Josie. It’s something that
would make any man reel; in Dan’s case it
sends him straight to hospital...in the back
of Sebastian’s taxi.
From there, the pair form an unlikely bond
— in many ways, they are kindred spirits: both
have suffered the loss of family members, both
outside the community that he’s lost. He wants
Dan to come to photograph this choir but there
are other reasons he wants him to be a part of it.
Dan instinctively feels there’s something about
community, about family and about creating a
new life for himself that somehow is going to be
signposted by his experience with the choir.”
Dan becomes more convinced — at Sebastian’s
urging — to drop the massacre photos from the
exhibition...until he makes two discoveries that
rock their friendship and threatens to destroy
everything Sebastian has built since coming here,
including his relationship with Anishka.have strong loving relationships, yet choose to
keep secrets from their partners, and both suffer
mental anguish from traumatic experiences.
Sebastian also wants Dan to take photos of
the choir he’s a part of. He’s hesitant — peacetime
photography isn’t his bag — but he attends
several rehearsals and is drawn towards this
disparate group of male refugees, who are united
by their suffering. They are all damaged, but
learning to cope through the healing power of
music, singing and companionship.
Weaving calls the choir “the musical heart of
the film. There’s something about it that Dan’s
drawn to...it’s the thing that allows them both to
heal. Sebastian has set up this choir as a way of
healing himself and creating a communityTop:Dan (Hugo Weaving) and Sebastian (Andrew Luri) bond
over music.Above:Everybody loves cake.❯ON SCREEN