An exhausted woman is at the desk of a small hotel in Sicily. She is being rather difficult, has special wishes and doesn’t explain much. Lee (a brilliant role by Catherine Keener) is a war photographer, just back after being held hostage in Libya. She spends her days chain-smoking in bed, unable to discuss her feelings. In her self-imposed isolation, she shuts herself off from any human contact. Between naps, she roams the streets of Sicily, her camera always at the ready. It’s a way to understand the world while keeping it at arm’s length. The only person she visits is her former mentor and lover (Ben Kingsley), who tries to get through to her with confrontational questions. Only when Lee meets a young Tunisian refugee and decides to help her, there is a breakthrough in her own healing process. War Story is a captivating film about a traumatised woman who can no longer flee her past. With delicate camerawork, director Mark Jackson provides a striking picture of Lee’s inner world. Without looking for an explanation, the film slowly but surely provides the necessary hints about Lee’s past. Together with the protagonist, the viewer searches for the elusive story she holds within her. This is Jackson’s second feature. His debut Without won several prizes at international festivals.
