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Moonlight

This is the story of a lifetime. 

Year: 2016 
Running Time:
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 (Scope) 
Certificate: BBFC 15 Cert – Not suitable for under 15s 
Subtitles: This film is not expected to be subtitled, though this cannot be guaranteed. 
Directed by Barry Jenkins 
Starring: Mahershala Ali, Shariff Earp, Duan Sanderson  
An image from Moonlight
Review:

Moonlight is an eloquent film of few words. It follows the growth of its main character, Chiron, who also does not like to talk much. At first glance Moonlight may appear as a standard coming of age film, with a few plot holes and neglected explanations here and there. In its simplicity, however, Moonlight succeeds at addressing one of the most complicated concepts to translate into cinema, and it does so without trivializing or downplaying it: identity.

We follow Chiron in his journey through his everyday life as young black kid living in an impoverished neighborhood in modern day Miami, we observe him as he struggles with sexuality, bullying, loss, friendship, masculinity and belonging. The film, however, never drifts off its focus on the characters, it never allows for an intricate plotline to get in its way, but floats on smoothly, ending each segment when appropriate and letting the sequence speak for itself, refraining from polluting the images with words. Moonlight is an all-round film, in which there is no too much of anything: music, words, shots, scenes; everything is calibrated so that by the end there is no desire for more, and no desire for less. Accompanied by Nicholas Brittel’s incredible soundtrack and James Laxton’s outstanding cinematography, Barry Jenkins’ new award winning picture will urge you to reconsider your own conception of self, and of other.

Marta Meazza

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Screenings of this film:

2016/2017 Summer Term (digital)
2016/2017 Summer Term (digital)
2021/2022 Autumn Term (digital)