Cate Blanchett’s provocative tale
In a captivating cinematic venture, Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett takes on the role of a renegade nun in her latest film, “The New Boy,” addressing profound themes of faith and colonialism in Australia. The movie introduces an exceptional young talent, Aswan Reid, who, at just 11 years old during filming, has earned accolades for his compelling performance.
Blanchett, praising Reid’s magnetic presence on screen, reveals that his audition tape was the first the film’s creators reviewed. Hailing from the border of the Northern Territory and Western Australia, Reid, a Kiwirrkurra boy, had no prior film experience but quickly immersed himself in the industry.
Variety dubs Reid the film’s “secret weapon,” and The Guardian commends him for delivering one of Australian cinema’s most impressive child performances in recent times. This acclaim culminated in Reid winning the Best Lead Actor award at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards.
“The New Boy” revolves around the titular character, a nine-year-old Aboriginal orphan with mysterious supernatural powers, whose arrival at a remote monastery in 1940s Australia disrupts the tranquil setting. The film delves into Australia’s dark history, touching on the forced removal of Indigenous children from their families under assimilation policies, a practice that persisted until 1970.
Writer and director Warwick Thornton, a Kaytetye man with personal connections to the narrative, describes the film as exploring spirituality, culture, and colonization in a unique manner. Thornton, sent to a missionary-style school in Western Australia at the age of 11, emphasizes the movie’s theme of the “cost of survival” in the face of colonialism.
Blanchett, expressing her long-standing desire to collaborate with Thornton, underscores the personal resonance of the script. Drawn to the project for both professional and personal reasons, she finds a connection with Thornton through shared experiences of seeking faith as youngsters.
As the film grapples with the impact of colonialism on Indigenous culture, Blanchett criticizes missed opportunities for Australia to confront its complex past, particularly evident in the rejection of constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. She views it as a setback in acknowledging the deep-time, vibrant history that predates white settlement and calls for a more profound understanding of Indigenous culture.
“The New Boy” is set to premiere in UK cinemas on March 15, offering audiences a thought-provoking exploration of historical struggles and spirituality against the backdrop of Australia’s evolving landscape.
