In 58 Harrison Lane Newport filmmaker Sprague Theobald explores the successes of The Woodhall School in Bethlehem, Conn., in turning boys with learning and social difficulties into confident young men.

The school’s founder, Sally Campbell Woodhall, seems an earnest and very caring woman who defines her boarding school as “a place of self-discovery” where the students can “rise from the ashes of failure.” She sees The Woodhall School as a place for boys who need a chance to gain confidence and experience success. She believe in the basic goodness of the boys and, from what we see, they don’t let her down.

We’re introduced to some of the boys who describe the sad, lonely, angry young men they had been prior to coming to Woodhall and how their experiences there have helped them advance emotionally and academically. They have praise for the school’s “accountability committees” where those who have committed infractions are brought before a group of their peers to discuss their problems in a nonjudgmental way.

While there’s no question that 58 Harrison Lane is inspirational, this short documentary (40 minutes) seems geared mainly to an audience of teachers and to parents of children with learning problems. And it seems mostly like a promotional film for The Woodhall School.

58 Harrison Lane will be shown as part of the Newport International Film Festival at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Jane Pickens Cinema.

Tickets are $10 and are available at the festival box office at 22 Broadway or online at newportfilmfestival.com.

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58 Harrison Lane

Rated: Not rated, contains adult themes.

mjanuson@projo.com