Set during Detroit's wartime boom in 1943, 'The Art Student's War' follows Bianca Paradiso, an 18-year-old with dreams of becoming an artist. As she navigates her studies, she finds herself drawing portraits of wounded soldiers, juxtaposing the vibrancy of youth and the grim realities of war. Beyond the backdrop of World War II, Bianca faces personal challenges and romantic desires, along with a brewing conflict within her own family.