"There he is. Hugging a tree."
This fascinating and contemplative Australian movie sees the imperious Cate Blanchett as Sister Eileen, a nun taking charge of an isolated outback orphanage at a time when the Australian Government undertook enforced separation of indigenous children from their parents, and we follow his progress from a bewildered, uncommunicative and feral new arrival to trying to make sense of his new situation and religion. Blanchett is a joy to watch as the devout, tough, sincere and strong mother-figure, with a delightful performance by young Aswan Reid as the titular new boy. The vast landscape is shot exquisitely, used effectively as a backdrop to religious iconography and the exploration of faith and spirituality through the contrasting eyes of Sister Eileen and the indigenous young newcomer, while at the same time telling a very human story of separation, cultural identity and belief in this simple, powerful and evocative film.
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