"If you do a story about a British journalist rescuing a child from Sarajevo, then Sarajevo just becomes an exotic location, and the story's about this British journalist"

This quote by Michael Winterbottom speaks to the significance of context in storytelling. By focusing on a British reporter saving a child from Sarajevo, the story is no longer about the dispute in Sarajevo, but instead about the reporter. Sarajevo is decreased to a simple backdrop, an unique location, and the story is no longer about individuals and the dispute in the city. Winterbottom is warning against this kind of storytelling, as it can be seen as a type of cultural appropriation, where the story is secured of its original context and used to serve a different story. He is highlighting the value of understanding the context of a story and not reducing it to a simple exotic backdrop.