Directors: Barry Jenkins Writer: Barry Jenkins Cast: Trevante Rhodes as Chiron / "Black" The ensemble performance of three actors in three separate acts: Little, Chiron, and Black, showcases the painful struggle of identity and homosexuality of one young black boy growing up in Miami, Florida (side note: Ill mostly be addressing Chiron by his actual name instead of by his two nicknames; Little and Black). In short, the last line of Moonlight embodies the psychic and sexual longing that defines Black's life. Things are tough in the hood, but no child is going to starve. Moonlight undoes our expectations as viewers, and as human beings, too. TG:Theres a moment in the film where Black (Chiron) seems like hes about to finally get redemption through love and have a moment of intimacy with a childhood friend but it doesntgo where we expect it go. He was the first Muslim actor to ever receive an Academy Award. While he is not gay, Jenkins saw a lot ofhimself in McCraneys character. But I can't help thinking he must have been lonely. We also quickly learn that Juan has died in the space between the first and second chapter, a shockwave that we watch echo through Chiron's relationships with Kevin, Teresa, and Paula in this section. Explain that duality. The couple look on as the kid eats and eats; its clear, though, that hes hungry for more than food. All of these elements combined have made Chiron a solitary and quiet individual, but he still feels lonely and longs for the deeper connections he is missing. When she is first introduced, viewers are made to believe otherwise, as she shows concern for her child having been missing all night while he stayed with Juan and Teresa soon after, though, we see her be neglectful and even cruel. In 2017, "Dancing in the Moonlight" was featured in the video game "Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Signs" and serves as the opening song for the second episode. Blue represents what Juan represents; freedom, self-acceptance, and the heart of Miami. The two then part ways, and this is unfortunately followed up by Kevin being pushed, via bullying, to beat up Chiron. The audience is left to assume that Juan has been crucified by the inevitable, doomed life of any long time drug-dealer. What led him to disappear from the storyline? It is because of Juan that Chiron chose to go back home to Miami, to be brave enough to choose love and to fight back. If you ever met Tarell, hes a unique cat. Ali plays Juan, a warm-hearted drug dealer who mentors young Chiron, taking him under his wing to escape the perils he faces of his drug-addicted mother at home and bullies taunting him at school. Nominated for six Golden Globe Awards, it eventually went on to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture (Drama). Other members of the main cast include Janelle Monae, Ashton Sanders, Naomie Harris, and Jharrel Jerome. His wife, Teresa(Janelle Mona), steps in as a motherly figure who provides home-cooked meals and a place to crash when young Chiron needs temporary sanctuary fromhis troubled life. To stay within your your SmartPoints budget, you don't need to cut out foods entirely, but it pays to eat more of those that cost you less points. This location is very prominent in Chiron's life: he is first introduced in the film on the beach, Juan teaches him to swim at the beach, and he shares his only intimate moment with Kevin on the beach. Because of these issues, Chiron is bullied, the slurs hurled at him which he doesn't understand beyond knowing that they are meant to be hurtful. Chirons car has the license plate: BLACK305, Chirons nickname with the Miami area code. Faggot is another name, and its one that Chiron hears often as he grows up. ***Better Quality***Music: Barbara Lewis -- Hello Stranger (1963)Movie : Moonlight (2016) Poor sleep, sedentary activities, and eating too many processed or sugary foods are just some of the habits that may increase your risk of weight gain. You have to get onyour moms still a crackhead, and you still have to deal with these kids f***ing with you at school. I think its important to show that just because Juan lives in Liberty City and is a drug dealer doesnt mean hes only a black drug dealer. *Warning: Article contains film spoilers*. As we watch, another movie plays in our minds, real-life footage of the many forms of damage done to black men, which can sometimes lead them to turn that hateful madness on their own kind, passing on the poison that was their inheritance. Randomly, Chiron is contacted by an old friend who he has not seen in years. Get Your Answer Here. As Chiron hesitates, Kevin approaches, apparently still one of Chiron's close friends. Teresa notices that Chiron is upset, but he doesn't want to talk about it. After coursing through three disillusioned chapters in the life of our young main character, Chiron, the movie poses a question: Will he embrace the truth of his sexuality, or will the homophobia that taunts him continue to dictate his well-being? The film is divided into three parts, titled Little, Chiron, and Black. In the second part, Chiron (played now by Ashton Sanders) is a teen-ager, thin and walking with the push, resolve, and loneliness of a character for whom Billie Holiday would have given her all in a song. But, at the end of every outing, Teresa and Juan show their respect by returning Chiron home. The blue of the ocean. To me, at the end of ourfilm, the story continues but the movie ends. It was up to only Chiron himself to decide who he was going to be. Whether or not Chiron could comprehend if he may have been gay at the time, the other boys target him. At home, Chiron ices his face and stares in the mirror fiercely. When he was bullied by his classmates as they presume Chiron was gay by the way he walked, he was noticed by a Cuban drug dealer Juan. But the moment of love doesnt last. Princess Peach (Super Mario Bros.)/Gallery, Princess Daisy (Super Mario Bros.)/Gallery. Juan takes Little under his wing and provides the fatherless boy with some much-needed mentoring. -Welcome to the Hero/Protagonist wiki! In an exclusive interview with theGrio.com, Jenkins shares why he decided to bring McCraneys story to life on film, talks about the intersections of sexuality, socio-economics and gender constructs, and explains why he hopes the film provides visibility to people who would otherwise go unnoticed. Nate Parkers retelling of Nat Turners rebellion does not succeed as art or as propaganda. About thirty minutes into the film, Chiron, sitting at Juan and Teresas orderly table, asks what a faggot is. His mother is a drug addict who shows him little affection. Kevins newly christened perspective affirms to Chiron that there is more to life than the troubled, poverty-stricken world where they grew up. When I read it, my first thoughtwas, How does he know the things he knows? This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Throughout the rest of the film, it is only explained through dialogue that Juan has died. How Did Juan Die in Moonlight? And its like a dream one night when Chiron, trusting little but wanting to trust more, approaches Kevin at the beach where Juan taught him to swim. BJ:In a larger context, the movie for me is about rooting the film and the character of Chiron, but I also want to take the audience on the journey with Chiron. Chiron reluctantly agrees and the two catch up. The Question and Answer section for Moonlight (Film) is a great Freelance writer who loves dogs and anything related to Japanese culture. He later tells him that in his homeland, when he was a child, an elderly woman nicknamed him "Blue" because "in moonlight, black boys look blue" when he was running around on the beach before telling him he must take charge of his own life. While Juan did not identify with being called Blue, the color blue is seen frequently throughout the movie. Tarells like, no I was neverinvited into a penis competition (laughs). Ad Choices. Running around with no shoes on when the moon was out. In the third act of the film, audiences are introduced to a seemingly entirely different Chiron. 8 "Primrose Lane" that was later used as the theme song for the television series The Smith Family.He made his debut on the country music charts in 1965, entering it thirty-five times between then and 1980. In a way, this proves true when Kevin betrays Chiron by beating him for public show, a knife in the back of his new lover. In the film's second act, viewers learn more definitely that Chiron is gay, as he is just starting to understand his sexuality. The two reconcile in the climactic moment of the film, right before the final shot shows Chiron again as a child. For instance, Juan doesnt take that runaway kid under his wing in order to pimp him out and turn him into a drug runner; instead, he brings him home to feed him, nourish him. The table below only shows the Weight Watchers Points Plus values. Terrel falls to the ground, tightening his fists but mostly still. Not only that, but it earned eight nominations at the Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture. Kevin then comforts Chiron, letting down his wall, and the film closes with a shot of a young Chiron on the beach. The film is vague about the full details of Juans character, so it gave me plenty of room to read between the lines. How Did Jack Twist Die? Juan was brought to life by actor Mahershala Ali. The audience is left to assume that Juan's life was cut short by his drug dealing activities. He is first introduced having a conversation with one of his customers. Not even just the story of Chiron, which is one thing very specific to this film, but even just in general in telling the story of what I think is this a very beautiful, complex place in the inner city of Miami. How Did Cinderellas Mother Die? One night, the two have an encounter where Juan ultimately berates her for her drug addiction as it leads to little to no parenting. Was it important for you, as a director, to ensure the protagonist steered clear of that? How did he die? These memories ended up making the beach a safe haven for Chiron. By avoiding the overblown clichs so often used to represent black American life in film, Barry Jenkins has created something achingly alive. It also shows how complex the development of sexuality is, and this idea of the way boys treat each other. As he puts a blanket over her, she wakes up and says, "You don't love me no moreYou're my only, and I'm your only.". This is how he initially meets Juan. As such, its not surprising to know that Moonlight has reeled in a considerable amount of accolades. Grafenwoehr experiences some seasonal variation in monthly liquid-equivalent snowfall. Watching Sanders play Chiron at this stage of his life is rather like seeing Montgomery Clift act for the first time, or Gloria Foster in Nothing But a Man. Theres no accounting for talent like this. Dinner conversation was all pleasantries, which was perfectly pleasant. Juan, his mouth fixed in a poutsometimes he sucks on his tongue, as if it were a pacifierdoesnt take his eyes off the street. The protagonist, who is first introduced as young Little, struggles with his crack-addicted mother at homeand desperately avoidsbullies at school who call him a fa**ot., Oscar-buzzing Moonlight gives viewers something they can hold on to. I think we walk past people like Chiron and encounter people like Juan or Paula all the time. It's okay." You can tell Andi, a woman with a professional-grade B.S.-meter, is sincerely assuaged by the conversation. a lizard. This film is told through three different points in the protagonist's life. Short answer is, classes help you take all the properties and behaviors of an object in your program, and combine them into a single template.Yes, a class in Java is simply a template for creating objects with similar attributes and behavior. How Did William Afton Die? A bullied, neglected and all-but-silent child, he grows toward an understanding of himself and his world, and though it is agonizing to witness his progress, it is also thrilling. Which parts? Juan finds a young Chiron hiding from the other young boys in the neighborhood after they chase him down for being different, for appearing weak; for being gay. He lets Chiron spend the night with him and his girlfriend Teresa before returning Chiron to his mother Paula. Theres no funeral. While Juans appearance in the film is very short-lived compared to the rest of the characters, the impact Juan has on Chiron is profound. Juan goes by a hole in which a young boy (Alex Hibbert) has been chased into by a group of bullies. We dont get too much backstory on Juan or how he came to be the way he was, but we do notice that Juan was a loving, caring, and wise man despite his chosen profession. As the two of them argue about Chiron's upbringing, he berates her for taking the crack he gave her and for neglecting her son while she rebukes him for selling them to her in the first place and for criticizing her on how she's raising Chiron without him taking responsibility for raising Chiron himself. Chiron arrives home and notices his mother sleeping on the couch. Since then, it would appear that the teen has occasionally been spending time with his former girlfriend, Teresa. What happened to Juan? Young Chiron severally sought refuge at Juans home whenever he needed to escape from his broken home-life and abusive mother. BJ:I wasnt trying to defy anything because I think when you get into that, instead of creating something genuine, you end up creating this thing thats meant to serve this defined element. But this does not cease Juan from taking little Chiron under his wing, helping the young boy find himself and gain confidence in who he was. Wait 15-20 minutes. The bullies throw rocks at the window before leaving. There are consequences for that. At the start of this chapter, we are instantly introduced to the structure of the film, which we learn will fracture Chiron's life into sections between which he will age. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Agreement. So, what does it mean? Its a life, you know? Hes a dope dealer, so theres that, too. Chronicling one black boy's childhood in Liberty City, Miami, Moonlight gives viewers a look into what life is like in an inner city where drugs and poverty are in abundance. Little was a nickname given to a young Chiron by his peers. We provide the most recent, unbiased accounts of the news that matters to you. Fill the bowl halfway with cold water, ensuring that the lettuce is completely submerged. It's a beautiful ending, but what does it mean? he asks. Our hero asks Juan if his mother does drugs, and when Juan says yes, Chiron leaves. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. "I kept thinking about Juan and really missing that character," he said. This implies to the audience that Chiron chooses to accept his nickname Black. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Kevin shrugs this off and starts sharing a blunt with Chiron. She. Both he and McCraney grew up in Liberty City and had strained relationships with their mothers as children. Alex R. Hibbert as Chiron, a young black man growing up gay in an impoverished part of Miami in Moonlight. TG:You mentioned that you identified with parts of Chiron. Kevin says, What have you got to be sorry for? As he works his hand down Chirons shorts, the camera pulls back; this is the only moment of physical intimacy in the film, and Jenkins knows that in this study of black male closeness the point isnt to show fucking; its to show the stops and starts, the hesitation, and the rush that comes when one black male body finds pleasure and something like liberation in another. ), and what their super objective was (what the character needed to get by the plays end), and what stood in their way of achieving that goal. Whites would have introduced a different dynamic to Moonlight. Jenkinss story is about a self-governing black society, no matter how fractured.) Slang. Throughout the rest of the film, it is only explained through dialogue that Juan has died. Its not him, but its definitely based on him. Although Chiron is leery of the fact that another boy gave him a nickname, to avoid any implications of his sexuality, Chiron never did stop Kevin from calling him Black. When Chiron asks Juan if Blue was his name, Juan said: At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you gon be. The only friend Chiron had growing up was his childhood friend and first love, Kevin. When you have a mother who is going through things that are preventing her from showing you love, you start to create this version of yourself whereyou are not worthy of love. But he doesnt have a Teresa, doesnt have anyone. Though portrayed as dead in the movie, his immense influence lived on through Chiron, the . But, violence begets violence, and as Little grows into an introverted sixteen-year-old teenager who struggles with his identity, only a tough facade can shield him against the world. BJ:She didnt have to be there, but in a way she had to be there. Chiron himself does ask Juan about being gay, but only because of a slur the other boys call him, however Juan tells him it's okay to be gay just to not let them call him slurs. Now he is very aggressively masculine, and he employs tough guy mannerisms clearly, using these as a wall to protect himself from being hurt again by others, as well as a way torun from the little boy he used to be. Met with praise, it has since grossed over $27 million in the U.S. and Canada, despite having been produced on a $4 million budget. After their communion on the Miami ocean, Juan tells young Chiron of a story from when he was a young boy living in Cuba. All the same, it ties into the themes of fate and identity that govern the film's look at individual characters in the context of a cutthroat Miami environment. Cant nobody make that decision for you.. The next day, Chiron meets Juan, telling him he hates his mother for the way she treats him. I felt comfortable doing it because it seems like were defying stereotypes, but no, thats a real person. The burdens of his homosexuality, his mother's callousness, the death of Juan (his . TG:Mahershala Alis character, Juan, serves as Littles savior from his home and school life, yet he is exposed as aflawed and hypocritical character because he is a drug dealer. All this time that happens between the chapters alters who this guy is. While he can heal others, he can't heal himself. Juans character is only in the first act of the film. The film follows him as a child, as a teenager and eventually as an adult. And he knows he counts even more when Juan calls him by his nicknameLittleas a way of claiming him. I just said lets get Chiron right. Inside, in a dark, silent space, the kid stares at Juan, and Juan stares at the kid.. For me, it was important to preserve Tarells voice. What Really Happened To Fran Lockwood? In the context of Juan's advice to "decide for yourself who you're going to be," Chiron's decision to seek revenge on Terrel seems like a perversion of the notion that one can shape one's own future. Sanders has a conjurers gifts, and an intuitive understanding of how the camera workshow it can push into an actors face and consciousness, and how the actor can push back against the intrusion by inhabiting the reality of the moment. Chiron learns Kevin is now a single father and content in life. And because of this sort of awards tour, and us getting to share the film so much with people, hes back with me so I get to think about him., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. And it changes everything. Even though I think theres very few people in general that can specially connect to Chirons experience, I think in some way all of have been the other, the person on the outside, maybe not persecuted to the degree that this young man is, but I think we all want to be loved and embraced and need connection and support and family and mentorship. The first part is called "Little", as little is the nickname of Chiron. Score: 4.2/5 (69 votes) . The movie brings out the painful struggle that sexual orientation has on the identity of a young black boy, Chiron, growing up in Miami, Florida. Theres no time to grieve. How does it make a boy whos been rejected because of his skin color, his sexual interests, and his sensitivity feel? His music is still popular today, and many people want to know how to pronounce his name correctly.The German composer's name is actually pronounced "bay-TOH-ven", with the emphasis on the first syllable. Chiron drives a similar slicked out car, but in the color of black, like his nickname. These are some of the questions that well be addressing belowso if youre curious for the answers, be sure to keep reading! I wanted to cast different people to play the same person, and I wanted to give him a different name. Theres a kind of mirroring going on. Why is September 15 Clemente Day? Because this section also includes Chiron's tryst on the beach with Kevin, which will become one of the most identity-forming moments in his life, it confronts the film's themes of love and its frustrations. " Moonlight " ends with a flicker of hope. "Which sentence" means that you have been provided with answer choices or an exceprt from the story. Rarely has the world taught them not to. I. "It's gonna be okay," he tells her, using an elongated version of his beloved catchphrase. A junkie is desperately trying to buy something off the other man, but he is continuously rejected. BJ:The movie is inherently intersectional to me. What does blue mean in Moonlight? Three time periods - young adolescence, mid-teen and young adult - in the life of black-American Chiron is presented. And I feel like at a moments notice, a man like Juan is going to get snatched out of that kids life. You gon tell him why the other boys kick his ass all the time?. After a brief vocabulary lesson, during which he learns the meaning of faggot, the boy confronts Juan about whether or not he is the one who supplies his mother with her drugs. Chirons mother was aware of her sons sexual orientation. The first image the trio felt they nailed was this image of Juan (Mahershala Ali). Susana San Juan is one of the novel's central characters along with Pedro Pramo (her second husband) and Juan Preciado (one of Pedro's many illegitimate sons). The movie ends with Black in Kevins arms, being free, accepted, and loved in their private moment together. The film tells a beautiful story, told in three acts, about its main character Chiron (Trevante Rhodes). Not in a very intimate and nurturing way. At times, it feels like she didnt need to be there. Juan goes by a hole in which a young boy (Alex Hibbert) has been chased into by a group of bullies. That he is able to pluck that feeling out of the darkness of those Miami nights makes him a classically heroic figure: he knows his limitations, he knows that life is tragic, but he is still willing to dream. He discovers Grace's betrayal, and faces Billy Kimber alone in front of The Garrison Pub with his gang of Peaky Blinders and their machine gun and rifles. It is only explained through conversations that he has died. Yet, a few simple steps such as mindful eating, exercise, and focusing on whole foods can help you reach your weight loss goals and improve your overall health. Because of Juan, Chiron has hope. No matter how awful Paula is, she is still Chirons mother. How he talks. Kevin gives Chiron the nickname Black (side note: the color nickname is very similar to Juans old nickname of Blue). Last Update: Jan 03, 2023. Ashton Sanders, as the teen-age Chiron, has a conjurers gifts, and an intuitive understanding of how the camera works. Its The Lord of the Flies all over again: whale on sensitivity before it can get to you. He saw it in Juan. This is a great movie but this is only a short answer space. With this childhood as a foundation, Chiron may have a predetermined path in life, one that will only be magnified in terms of its problems when he reaches his difficult teen years when peer pressure affects what he and many of his peers do, unless he follows Juan's advice of truly making his own decisions for himself. Its a vicious cycle, in which the characters are oppressed by everything but hope. But I wanted to really get it right. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Moonlight (Film) by Barry Jenkins. In Liberty City, Miami at the height of the crack epidemic, Afro-Cuban drug dealer Juan finds Chiron, a withdrawn child who goes by the nickname "Little," hiding from a group of bullies in a crackhouse. So, Teresa is all that Chiron has left. I was just hooked. Later, when he lets down his guard to connect to Kevin in an intimate matter, the world once again punishes him for it. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Moonlight (Film) study guide contains a biography of Barry Jenkins, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Contact us: [emailprotected]. In a bid to protect his dream of love, Chiron shows up at school one day and, wordlessly, breaks a chair over Terrels back. . Juans character is only seen in the first act of the film. And I wanted the audience to feel what its like to have that person snatched out. Chronicling one black boys childhood in Liberty City, Miami, Moonlightgives viewers a look into what life is like in aninner city where drugs and poverty are in abundance. Juans biggest impact on Chiron was when he was, well, Little. She was an actress, of course, best known for her role in the Star Wars movies (as well as smaller but no less memorable parts in films like When Harry Met Sally and TV shows like 30 Rock ). Does Tsunade Die In Naruto? There are certain things in this film that I havent lived. In other words, in a chemical reaction, the mass of the products will always be equal to the mass of the reactants. How did Tianas Dad Die? This process dilutes the system water mineral concentrations that steadily increase due to water evaporation. She asks how Teresa is, saying she hasn't seen her since Juan's funeral, and calls Teresa Chiron's "play play mommy." Drag.Select and drag objects including control points. In the second part of the film, after meeting Juan, a teenaged Chiron no longer wants to be called Little. When Tarell originally wrote the piece, it was about him trying to honor the memory of that guy. Teaching him how to swim and how to trust. Four white Miami-Dade police officers have beaten a young black man to death and been acquitted of manslaughter, setting off riots in the citys black enclavesLiberty City, Overtown, and elsewhere. BJ:Tarell is the openly gay playwright, and Im the openly straight filmmaker; however, the scene didnt happen with Tarell, it happened with me. Phenoxide ion is more stable than phenol due to the delocalisationdelocalisationIn chemistry, delocalized electrons are electrons in a molecule, ion or solid Theyre unique because theyre actual people. Juan is street-smart and hard when he needs to be, but he also has the heart and courage to venture outside of a cultural norm. Chiron is then picked up by a police car, which leads into the third act. You can use sub-object selection to select drag candidates. I was like Im going to insert this scene into Tarells character. What is the 200 m world record? theGrio:What was it about Tarell Alvins McCraneys play that made you want to retell the story in film? This one time, I run by this old lady. She mentions Juan's name, and Chiron noticeably tenses up. The film is told with different actors playing Chiron at different stages of his life . Kevin invites Chiron to meet up at the diner he works at to catch up. "I think a lot of people feel like they're on the fringes right now. It is only explained through conversations that he has died. A clumsy or inelegant solution to a problem. Instead, he takes the word apart, and doesnt take Chiron apart with it. Either way, Juan had gone much too soon in Chiron's story. Jenkins has influencesI would guess that Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Terrence Malick, and Charles Burnett are high on the list, along with Michael Roemers 1964 film Nothing But a Man, one of the first modern black love stories to avoid buffoonery and improbabilitybut what really gets him going here is filmmaking itself, and the story hes telling. Hes a man who has a wife and probably has a family, and if he sees a little boy being picked on, he knows what it feels like to be an other as a Afro-Cuban living in an African-American neighborhood. At the beginning of the film, Juana Cuban drug dealer comes across a withdrawn child in a crackhouse in Liberty City, Miami, who goes by the name Chiron. How a man walks. Lauded for the actors performances and cinematography, the movie earned stellar reviews from a number of publications including The Hollywood Reporter, Time Out New York, and Slant Magazine. Local tuya home assistant. Between 1958 and 1964, Wallace charted nine hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the No. This gesture is one of many that Jenkins, who, like McCraney, was raised in Liberty City, understands from the inside out.