MOONLIGHT (US, 2016) touches upon all the tropes that a film involving a black protagonist deals with: unemployment, drugs, hostile environment, troubled childhood, and violence. Add to these the themes of homosexuality vs. conformity to traditional notions of masculinity. What you have is a sensitive and poignant coming-of-age story of Chiron whose life is shown in three distinct phases – childhood, adolescence and adulthood as he struggles with his identity and sense of self-worth. The director eschews all drama and reduces the narrative to its barest essentials that elevates the film to a level that may not be everybody’s cup of tea; but if one manages to sit through the initial minutes, its minimalist style gradually sinks in to deliver an immersive experience.
MOONLIGHT (US, 2016) by Barry Jenkins got the Academy Awards for the Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali in 2017. Check it out on MUBI.
Here’s the trailer:
Ranjan Das is a Mumbai based filmmaker & faculty.
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