The New Boy
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2023 |
| Founder | Warwick Thornton |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Drama film |
The New Boy is a 2023 Australian drama feature, both penned and helmed by Warwick Thornton. The film stars Aswan Reid in the lead role, supported by performances from Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair, and Cate Blanchett, who also took on production duties. The narrative centers on a young Aboriginal Australian orphan brought into a Christian monastery governed by a rebellious nun, where he confronts challenges related to faith and his cultural roots.
The film made its debut at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2023 and was subsequently released in Australian cinemas on 6 July 2023 through Roadshow Films. It garnered mostly favorable reviews from critics.
Plot
Set in the mid-1940s within the Australian outback, the story follows a nameless nine-year-old Aboriginal orphan with light-colored hair who kills a white horseman. After being captured by another rider, he is taken to a secluded monastery dedicated to Aboriginal boys. Although the monastery appears to be managed by a male priest who has been deceased for over a year, Sister Eileen, the head nun, perpetuates the illusion of his leadership by fabricating letters. She receives support from "Sister Mum" and George, both Aboriginal converts to Christianity. The nuns provide care through Christian doctrine and physical labor but deliberately exclude Indigenous language and traditions. The boys are expected to leave early for work on farms. Sister Mum’s conversion followed the tragic loss of her children; George enjoys a stable existence within the monastery.
Initially, the New Boy faces difficulties adapting due to language differences and resistance to Western customs but gradually earns acceptance after asserting himself. He displays enigmatic abilities—such as producing spheres of light and healing both animals and humans.
The arrival of a large crucifix bearing Jesus disturbs the tranquil environment. Fascinated by it, the New Boy offers live snakes, which alarms others, and subsequently develops stigmata. After resurrecting a dead snake, a lightning strike ignites fires that George and the boys manage to extinguish. Emulating Jesus, the New Boy pierces his hands; Sister Eileen interprets this act as his acceptance of Christianity. He later heals Michael, an injured boy, an event witnessed by both Eileen and George.
His unconventional conduct—interacting with the statue and reverting to traditional behaviors—raises concerns among the community. George separates him from the other boys. Viewing him as a Christ figure, Eileen baptizes him to absolve his "sins." Despite limited understanding of Christian beliefs, he consents to baptism but loses his supernatural gifts. Adjusting to his new lifestyle with clothing and shoes, he begins tentative integration as V-day approaches, leaving his future and cultural identity suspended between two worlds.
Production
The concept originated around 2005 when filmmaker Warwick Thornton crafted a script drawing from his personal experiences at a Benedictine monastery boarding school, collaborating with producer Kath Shelper. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cate Blanchett suggested partnering through her production company Dirty Films. Originally titled Father and the Son featuring a Benedictine monk as lead, Thornton altered the protagonist’s gender to female—creating a role for Blanchett—to better reflect thematic intentions and marketing strategy.
In February 2022, Blanchett was confirmed as both lead actress and producer, with Thornton attached as writer and director. Deborah Mailman and Wayne Blair were added to the cast. By December 2022, emerging talents Aswan Reid, Shane Brady, Tyrique Brady, Laiken Woolmington, Kailem Miller, Kyle Miller, Tyzailin Roderick, and Tyler Spencer joined; these young performers lived onsite throughout filming.
Principal photography took place from October through December 2022, with outdoor sequences shot near Burra, South Australia. The musical score was created by Nick Cave alongside Warren Ellis.
Themes and genre
Angela Bates, who leads First Nations at Screen Australia, characterized The New Boy as "a film that transcends traditional genres, delving into spirituality, culture, and colonisation in an unprecedented cinematic manner".[1] Thornton expressed in an interview:[2]
Release
The New Boy made its debut at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2023, featured within the Un Certain Regard category.[3] Subsequently, it had its Australian premiere as the opening feature of the 2023 Sydney Film Festival on 7 June, where it also participated as an official contender. The film was then released theatrically across Australia by Roadshow Films on 6 July 2023.[4]
The film's first screening in the United States took place at the Woodstock Film Festival on 28 September 2023.[5]
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, The New Boy was launched by Signature Entertainment on 15 March 2024.[6][7]
Critical response
Luke Buckmaster of The Guardian lauded Aswan Reid's portrayal as "one of the most remarkable young performances in recent memory," though he characterized the movie as "an enigmatic and nearly impenetrable puzzle laden with intense religious symbolism," ultimately giving it a three out of five star rating.
David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter also praised Reid's acting and emphasized "the captivating visual strength of Thornton's stunning compositions...[which] continue to mesmerize," describing the film as "compelling, even when the narrative deviates." Nevertheless, he pointed out that flaws in the screenplay somewhat diminished Blanchett's effectiveness.
Awards and nominations
External links
- ↑ "Filming of First Nations film, The New Boy, wraps up in regional South Australia". Glam Adelaide. 11 December 2022. Archived from the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedmamamia - ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (13 April 2023). "Cannes Film Festival Lineup: Haynes, Anderson, Glazer, Kore-Eda, Wenders In Competition – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ↑ Keast, Jackie (10 May 2023). "'The New Boy', 'The Dark Emu Story', 'Run Rabbit Run' bound for 70th Sydney Film Festival". IF Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ↑ "The New Boy US Premiere". Cate Blanchett. 30 August 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ↑ Turnbull, Tiffanie (7 March 2024). "The New Boy: Cate Blanchett film tackles faith and colonialism in Australia". BBC Home. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (26 September 2023). "Cate Blanchett's 'The New Boy' Snapped Up for U.K., Ireland by Signature Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.