New Boy

The film New Boy is about a boy named Joseph who comes from Africa to Ireland and is new in a strange school. The overall mood in the beginning is quite somber and anxious. Joseph is being teased by his classmates, and intermittently you catch glimpses of his previous life, which looked full of joy and happiness. The fact that he is not there anymore, and has to be in this strange somber classroom is quite depressing. In the first 8 minutes, he does not smile once (except in his old home) and it really makes the mood more serious and somber. The dialogue of the teacher and the students really helps you to get a feel for the setting of the film. You can tell almost instantly that they are in Ireland, and because Joseph does not speak you can tell he feels out of place and uncomfortable. The first word he speaks in his new school is after he has started to make friends with his tormenters. The cinematography in this film bases a lot of emotion off color. One of the most striking differences between his old home and his new school in Ireland is the color. In Africa the colors were bright, vivid, and uplifting. In Ireland it is quite bleak and dull, everyone is clothed in dark tones and the walls/ sky are dark and cold. This really sets the mood for his new home, and shows the differences between the two settings. My favorite scene is when Joseph and the two other boys start to laugh and get along better. There is such a sense of relief and happiness as you see this small, frightened child make friends and bond over laughing at their teacher. I absolutely loved this short film, and it is really one of my favorites. I think its very well done and quite powerful.