Lee

In the final scenes of the film, Lee is shown being interviewed by her son, Anthony Penrose, in 1977, but it’s revealed that this conversation is a product of his imagination—he’s imagining a dialogue with his mother after discovering her photographs and writings. In reality, Lee had never fully shared the depth of her experiences as a war photographer with her family, especially her son. The interview scene serves as a symbolic reflection of her hidden past and her struggle with revealing her true self. Throughout her life, Lee carried the burden of her traumatic experiences, including witnessing the horrors of concentration camps and facing sexism during her career, which she kept mostly to herself. Her work gave her a voice to document history, but she often suppressed her own story because she felt she hadn’t achieved enough or was afraid of exposing her vulnerabilities.

The film ends with Anthony learning about his mother’s true story posthumously, through photographs and notes she left behind—something he fully uncovers only after her death. Her son’s decision to become a photographer himself can be seen as a tribute to her and her courage, honoring her legacy even if she never openly shared her full life with him during her lifetime. The ending underscores the idea that Lee’s true story was one of bravery and resilience, buried beneath layers of silence and secrecy, which only later was fully understood and appreciated. It highlights how much of her incredible journey remained hidden during her life but ultimately became a powerful testament to her extraordinary strength and the importance of preserving personal histories.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 09:02