The New Boy
Introduction to the film and context
The New Boy (2023) is a drama film directed by Warwick Thornton, set in 1940s Australia. The story centres around a young Aboriginal boy, played by Aswan Reid, who is sent to a remote Catholic boarding school. The boy, known as "The New Boy," grapples with cultural dislocation and the trauma of colonialism while struggling to find a balance between his Indigenous culture and the Western way of life.
Thesis Statement
The ‘New Boy’ serves as a pertinent representation of many Indigenous Australians and their experience throughout colonisation and the subsequent forced assimilation into Western culture.
Thornton explores the significant connection Indigenous Australians have to their land and traditional culture, how this connection was disrupted throughout Western colonisation, and the conflict traditional spirituality and culture can often draw with a Judeo-Christian society.
Indigenous Culture & Land
Thornton explores the significant connection Indigenous Australians have to their land and traditional culture.
Impact of Assimilation
Examining how this connection was disrupted throughout Western colonisation.
Spirituality & Conflict
The conflict traditional spirituality and culture can often draw with a Judeo-Christian society.