The New Boy

In the Australian outback during the mid-1940s, a nameless nine-year-old orphan boy, characterized by his Aboriginal heritage and fair hair, commits an act of violence by strangling a white horseman. This incident sets off a series of transformative experiences for the boy, indicating his turbulent life ahead.

After being subdued by another horseman, the boy is taken to a remote monastery dedicated to raising Aboriginal boys. There, he encounters a seemingly run-down institution led by Sister Eileen, who misleads the outside world into believing a male priest is still alive.

Sister Eileen, the lead nun, orchestrates a deception regarding the priest, who has actually been dead for a year. With the help of Sister Mum and George, they maintain this facade while caring for the boys, emphasizing Christian teachings.

The New Boy has difficulty assimilating into the monastery life, struggling with the language barrier and rejection from his peers. His resistance to Western norms like wearing shoes isolates him further, making his journey toward acceptance challenging.

Gradually, the New Boy begins to assert himself both physically and emotionally, leading to his acceptance among the other boys. He showcases mysterious supernatural abilities, from conjuring light to healing sick animals, which begin to form his identity.

The peaceful atmosphere of the monastery is disrupted by a large statue of a crucified Jesus, which deeply captivates the New Boy. He feels an inexplicable connection to the statue, leading him to offer live snakes to it, eliciting fear from the other boys.

As the New Boy's obsession with the statue grows, he begins to manifest stigmata in his hands, and his other supernatural abilities become increasingly confused. His behavior hints at a spiritual conflict within him, leading to distress among the nuns.

During a pivotal moment, the New Boy revives a dead snake, which triggers a lightning strike that sets fire to the fields. This event forces George and other boys into action as they battle the flames, highlighting the boy's unintended influence on nature.

After returning from battling the fire, George and the boys discover that Michael has been injured. In a moment of clarity, the New Boy uses his supernatural powers to heal Michael, which astonishes Eileen and George, affirming the boy's unique abilities.

Eileen grows increasingly distressed over the New Boy's unconventional attachment to Jesus. His behavior includes reverently playing with the statue and 'healing' its wounds, which culminates in Eileen's decision to try and mold him into a more traditional Christian boy.

Following a personal crisis of faith, Eileen believes the New Boy is a messenger from Christ and decides to baptize him. Although he consents, the baptism comes at a personal cost as it obliterates his supernatural abilities, which had previously defined him.

With his powers gone, the New Boy begrudgingly starts conforming to the monastery's expectations by wearing clothing and footwear. This transition marks a significant departure from his Aboriginal roots, leaving him to navigate a precarious balance between two worlds.

As V-day arrives, the New Boy tentatively embraces his new life, receiving a measure of acceptance from his peers. However, his heritage remains a source of conflict, casting a shadow over his future as he grapples with his identity in a cross-cultural environment.