You are here:

The New World

Name: The New World
Director: Étienne Dhaene
Released: 2008
Duration: 92 min

Representation Score

6.3/10

Good

2008

Director

Étienne Dhaene

Runtime

92 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The New World succeeds as a progressive exploration of non-traditional domesticity. By placing a lesbian couple at the heart of the plot, the film normalizes queer parenthood and moves beyond the cliché of queer tragedy. The film effectively deconstructs the patriarchal nuclear family. It centers female decision-making and redefines the role of a biological father within a female-led social unit. However, the film lacks depth in addressing racial and ethnic diversity. The focus remains heavily on class and sexual orientation, leaving racial and ethnic diversity largely unaddressed within the social circle.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The New World have LGBTQ+ representation?

Excellent

The film centers on a lesbian partnership, making their relationship the primary emotional foundation. It explores the complexities of queer domesticity and parenthood without treating their orientation as a source of tragedy.

How does The New World portray gender?

Good

The narrative disrupts traditional hierarchies by centering female decision-making on female protagonists. It redefines the role of the father as a functional participant rather than a dominant household head.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The New World?

Fair

The story focuses on a relatively homogeneous social circle. There is no evidence of significant racial blending or non-majority casting within the narrative context.

How does The New World represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film critiques traditional Western family structures by prioritizing individualized identities over religious dictates. It emphasizes a chosen family model that challenges rigid, traditionalist institutions.

Does The New World include disability representation?

Minimal

The film provides no information regarding characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

Strong LGBTQ+ representation by centering a lesbian partnership as the narrative's emotional core.
Effective deconstruction of traditional patriarchal family models and gender hierarchies.
Sophisticated critique of conventional Western social and religious family structures.

Limited or Absent

Lack of racial and ethnic diversity within the social circle.
Limited representation of characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

When her biological clock starts ticking, Lucie tells her lesbian lover, Marion, that she wants a baby. Marion agrees, and the couple embarks on the delicate process of finding a suitable father -- eventually settling on Marion's old pal Hugo. Lucie and Marion's unconventional path to pregnancy elicits a full range of reactions from their friends and family in this charming French comedy.

How are these scores produced? →