MOVIES AT LA PLAZA— “THE NEW BOY”: There is no magic in the colonial world

Movie Review by Sergio Martinez

This film, directed by Warwick Thornton, is set in a desert region of Australia in the 40s of the last century and touches on a theme, with which, here in Canada, there are some painful coincidences. In the plot's background, there is the eagerness of the authorities to assimilate the indigenous population, first, by stripping them of their own cultural identity, language and even their way of relating to reality. In this context, the “Chief Protector of Aborigines” figure took on special importance. These officials had the authority to remove indigenous children from their families in order to assimilate them into the white culture.

He will be known only as
the New Boy (Aswan Reid)

The story begins with a confusing episode in which the character whom we only know as the “New Boy” (Aswan Reid), who does not speak for most of the time, is taken to a remote mission run by Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchet), a nun with her own way of managing the place, who is assisted by Sister Mum (Deborah Mailman). At the mission reside seven other children who, in addition to being instructed in the basics of religion, perform various jobs under the supervision of George (Wayne Blair).

Soon, the New Boy will mark his difference with the other children, aboriginal boys who have already been Christianized, and with the environment of the site itself. The culture clash will become apparent on several occasions, one in which the New Boy arrives with snakes, part of his normal relationship with nature, but symbols of evil in Christian belief.  This and other occurrences will put Sister Eileen in check when her own faith is shaken by the newcomer's healing powers and his different understanding of the images of the local church.

Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchet) sees
her faith shaken by the presence of the
New Boy

In his introductory statement to the film, the director said, “Aboriginal people are generally happy to embrace Christianity alongside their own spiritual beliefs, but it doesn’t happen the other way around. Christianity must conquer.” That is well portrayed in the film when the New Boy speaks for the first time and when, after being baptized, his life will take on a different character. In a way, this is also an analogy to what happens with the culture of the peoples assimilated by “white civilization”. With its power, the colonial world displaces the old images and beliefs, as well as their magical powers.

Sister Mum (Deborah Mailman) 
and George (Wayne Blair)

The New Boy is a film that focuses on the devastating effects of the clash between the dominant colonial culture and those of the people subjected to it. The cinematography is very effective in transmitting to the viewer, on the one hand, the overwhelming immensity of the territory and, on the other, the characters' intimacy in the reclusive environment of the mission.

Running time: 96 min.

CINE EN LA PLAZA—“THE NEW BOY” (“EL NIÑO NUEVO”): No hay magia en el mundo colonial

Comentario de Sergio Martínez

Este film dirigido por Warwick Thornton está ambientado en una región desértica de Australia, en los años 40 del siglo pasado y toca un tema con el cual aquí en Canadá hay algunas dolorosas coincidencias. En el trasfondo de la trama, está el afán de las autoridades de asimilar a la población indígena, primeramente, despojándola de su propia identidad cultural, idioma e incluso su manera de relacionarse con la realidad. En este contexto la figura del “Jefe Protector de Aborígenes” cobraba una especial importancia: estos funcionarios tenían la autoridad para remover a los niños indígenas de sus familias a fin de que se asimilaran a la cultura blanca.

Sólo se lo va a conocer como
el "Niño Nuevo" (Aswan Reid)

La historia empieza con un confuso episodio al cabo del cual el personaje a quien sólo conoceremos como el “Niño Nuevo” (Aswan Reid) y que no habla durante prácticamente todo el tiempo, es llevado hasta una remota misión regentada por la Hermana Eileen (Cate Blanchet), una monja que tiene sus propias maneras de conducir el lugar, quien es asistida por la Hermana Mum (Deborah Mailman). En la misión residen otros siete niños que además de ser instruidos en lo básico de la religión, ejecutan diversos trabajos bajo la supervisión de George (Wayne Blair).

Pronto el Niño Nuevo marcará su diferencia con los otros chicos—niños aborígenes que ya han sido cristianizados—y con el entorno mismo del sitio. El choque cultural se hará manifiesto en varias ocasiones, una en que el Niño Nuevo llega con unas serpientes, parte de su relación normal con la naturaleza, pero símbolos del mal en la creencia cristiana.  Este y otros sucesos pondrán en jaque a la Hermana Eileen, cuando su propia fe se vea sacudida por las facultades de sanador del recién llegado y su manera diferente de entender las imágenes de la iglesia del lugar.

La Hermana Eileen (Cate Blanchet)
se verá en apuros por la presencia
del Niño Nuevo

En su declaración de presentación del film el director lo señalaba así: “Generalmente los aborígenes están felices de adoptar el cristianismo junto a sus propias creencias espirituales, pero eso no funciona desde el otro lado: el cristianismo debe conquistar”. Eso queda bien retratado en la película, cuando el Niño Nuevo por primera vez hablará y cuando luego de ser bautizado su vida tomará otro carácter. De algún modo, esa es también una analogía a lo que sucede con la cultura de los pueblos asimilados por la “civilización blanca”. El mundo colonial con su poder desplaza las viejas imágenes y creencias, con ellas también sus poderes mágicos.

La Hermana Mum (Deborah Mailman)
y George (Wayne Blair)

The New Boy es una película que enfoca de modo muy certero los efectos devastadores del choque entre la cultura colonial dominante y las de los pueblos que fueron sometidos a ella. La fotografía es muy eficaz en transmitir al espectador por un lado lo apabullante de la inmensidad del territorio y por otro, la intimidad de los personajes en el ambiente reclusivo de la misión.

Duración: 96 min.

MOVIES AT LA PLAZA –JANE AUSTEN: WRECKED MY LIFE: Of Emotions and Quests

Movie Review by Sergio Martínez

“You don't live, you hide...” Félix (Pablo Pauly) once says to his friend Agathe (Camille Rutherford), the protagonist of this romantic comedy, that, in a very accurate way, transplants into its characters some of the emotions, vicissitudes and situations of the characters in Jane Austen's works. Somehow, those feelings experienced by the characters of the English novelist and some of the author herself converge, for better or worse, in the protagonist's personality and the events she experiences.

Camille Rutherford as Agathe

Agathe shares an apartment with her sister and her sister's young son in Paris. She works in the famous bookstore Shakespeare & Co, which specializes in English-language books, but her underlying passion is writing. Her literary endeavour, however, faces some obstacles: a writing block that often happens to her, the memories of her parents' death, and above all, her own insecurity.

Felix (Pablo Pauly) and Agathe

At the urging of Felix, her friend and colleague at the bookstore, and despite her strong initial resistance, Agathe enrolls in a program at the Jane Austin Residency in England, an opportunity to publicize her work, exchange creative experiences with other attendees and also to have some time to reflect on her life, mature her projects and meet new people in the quiet of the countryside. On the latter, the new writer will have many opportunities, the pleasant administrator of the Residency, Beth (Liz Crowther), her eccentric husband Todd (Alan Fairbairn), their son Oliver (Charlie Anson) and the other writers in search of inspiration for their literary projects. All this in a bucolic setting should help Agathe get to know herself better.

Oliver (Charlie Anson) and Agathe

For her, the influence of Jane Austen is powerful: “I’m living in the wrong century”, she says on one occasion. It is clear that the weight of the novelist's work is shaping her life, perhaps in a way that she may eventually come to regret. However, Jane Austen's literary legacy may provide her with something she did not foresee when she crossed the channel to that quiet retreat in the English countryside, recreating the atmosphere of the novelist's time. She would also find a romantic complement to her existence in that quest.

We fully recommend this film, directed by Laura Piami. It is very pleasant to watch. There are situations of reflection on how certain literary creations can influence us, but there is also a certain dose of humour and an ironic look at how we approach relationships in today's world. In Agathe's vicissitudes, there may also be reminiscences of the obstacles that the protagonists of Jane Austen's novels had to face.

Running time: 94 min.