'Moonlight' Explor Often Unseen Gay, Black Male Experience

"It's kd of oxymoronic to be homosexual and have those same attribut. ""It has universal them about humany, about our universal search for love and also 's reprentg the gay muny a way that I don't thk they generally are reprented, " the actrs said.

DON’T STOP AT “MOONLIGHT”—THERE ARE OTHER BLACK QUEER MOVI TO SEEFILMMAKERS WHO VISUALIZE THE WORLDS AND LIVED EXPERIENC OF BLACK LGBT PEOPLE ARE OVERDUE FOR SER ATTENTN. {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY DARNELL L. MOOREAPRIL 20, 2017/3:40 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}MOONLIGHT/A24BY DARNELL L. MOOREAPRIL 20, 2017 / 3:40 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"DON’T STOP AT “MOONLIGHT”—THERE ARE OTHER BLACK QUEER MOVI TO SEE","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-04-20T19:40:24.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-04-20T19:40:24.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"DARNELL L. MOORE","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE ARE FEW RECENT FILMS AS VISUALLY STUNNG AND HONT AS BARRY JENKS’S MOONLIGHT. THE FILM, BASED ON TARELL ALV MCCRANEY’S PLAY, IN MOONLIGHT BLACK BOYS LOOK BLUE, IS A WORK SOME CRICS HAVE NARROWLY SCRIBED AS AN “LGBT FILM.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT MOONLIGHT IS MUCH MORE THAN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE FILM IS A CEMATIC MEDATN ON FAY, BOYHOOD, MANHOOD, TIMACY, IENDSHIP, BETRAYAL, FIVENS, HUMAN PLEXY, AND HOME, TOLD OM THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE OF BLACK CHARACTERS NAVIGATG LIFE URBAN AMERI—CHARACTERS AND EXPERIENC OFTEN MISSG THE GENRE OF LGBT FILMS. AND THAT IS WHY I UTN THE BROAR, WHE, LGBT MUNY TO NOT BE SO QUICK TO CLAIM MOONLIGHT AS S OWN JT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN A NEW YORKER REVIEW, HILTON ALS SCRIBED TAIL THE MANY WAYS MOONLIGHT "UNDO OUR EXPECTATNS" OF BLACK REPRENTATN CEMA. BUT ALSO UNRAVELED THE EXPECTATNS OF WHE HOLLYWOOD AFTER THE ALL BLACK ST AND PRODUCTN TEAM WON AN OSR FOR BT PICTURE—ONLY AFTER THE SAME AWARD WAS MISTAKENLY HAND OVER TO THE MOSTLY WHE PRODUCTN TEAM AND ST OF LA LA LAND. THE GAFFE WAS AN IRONIC EXAMPLE OF THE WAYS EXCEPTNAL BLACK FILMS TEND TO BE OVERSHADOWED BY THOSE CENTERG ON WHE CHARACTERS—EVEN IF SUCH FILMS ARE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHILE WATCHG THE AWARDS, I WASN’T EVEN STUNNED WHEN LA LA LAND WAS ANNOUNCED. ONLY A HANDFUL OF FILMS CENTERED ON BLACK PEOPLE’S LIV, DIRECTED BY BLACK PEOPLE, HAVE ACTUALLY WON BT PICTURE. I WAS MOST SURPRISED WHEN THE MISTAKE WAS CLARIFIED AND MOONLIGHT WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE REAL WNER.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MOONLIGHT’S WELL-SERVED SUCCS IS E FOR LLECTIVE CELEBRATN. IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN BLACK FILMMAKERS SPECIFILLY CREATE ART FOCED NOT ON THE HOLLYWOOD GAZE, BUT ON THE WORLDS OM WHICH BLACK PEOPLE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT IS ALSO A REMR BLACK MEN WHO FALL LOVE WH OTHER BLACK MEN, LIKE THE TWO MA CHARACTERS MOONLIGHT, ARE NOT NECSARILY BT INTIFIED AS “GAY.” Y, THE FILM PICTS TWO BLACK BOYS-BEG-MEN DISVERG THEIR LOVE, BUT THEIR EXPRSNS OF TIMACY ARE NO QUEERER, NO MORE PROFOUNDLY LIBERATG, THAN THEIR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MOONLIGHT IS BUT ONE EXAMPLE OF THE TYPE OF BETIFUL AND TRANSFORMATIVE WORK BLACK FILMMAKERS HAVE ALWAYS CREATED, AND NOT JT THIS YEAR. BLACK FILMMAKERS WHOSE WORKS VISUALIZE THE WORLDS AND LIVED EXPERIENC OF BLACK PEOPLE—SOMETIM THROUGH CHARACTERS WHO INTIFY AS LGBT—ON THE BIG SCREEN OR THE INTER ARE OVERDUE FOR PUBLIC PRAISE. AND EVEN IF THE FILM DTRY AND PUBLIC REFE TO OFFER PRAISE, THE WORK OF THE FILMMAKERS IS NO LS BRAVE AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BLACK FILMMAKERS HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THIS TO BE TE AND HAVE SOUGHT TO “CREATE DANGEROLY,” AS HAIAN-AMERIN STORYTELLER EDWIDGE DANTIT ENURAG, SPE THE WAYS THE AMERIN FILMMAKG DTRY HAS LONG RISTED STORI CENTERED ON BLACKNS AND BLACK LGBT EXPERIENC.TONGU UNTIED/{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FILMMAKERS CLUDG MARLON RIGGS, THE BLACK GAY CREATOR OF CELEBRATED DOCUMENTARI LIKE TONGU UNTIED (1989) AND BLACK IS... BLACK A’T (1994), AND BLACK LBIAN FILMMAKER CHERYL DUNYE, THE GENI BEHD THE CLASSIC THE WATERMELON WOMAN (1997), ARE ARTISTS WHOSE WORKS CRIQUED THE SHORTSIGHTEDNS OF MOST LGBT BLOCKBTER FILMS, WORKS WHICH TEND TO LACK BLACK REPRENTATN, S BEFORE MOONLIGHT’S WELL-SERVED ACCLAIM. BUT THERE ARE OTHER FILMMAKERS AND FILMS THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DEE RE’ 2007 FILM, PARIAH, TELLS THE STORY OF BLACK TEENAGE LBIAN ALIKE (APERO ODUYE), GROWG UP AND DISVERG HER QUEERNS BROOKLYN’S FORT GREENE. CHARL B. BRACK’S 2008 DOCUMENTARY DREAM DEFERRED: THE SAKIA GUNN FILM PROJECT REVISS THE MURR OF A 15-YEAR OLD OM NEWARK AND THE RULTG URT BATTLE, AND SHEDS LIGHT ON WHAT MEANS TO LIVE LIFE AS A YOUNG BLACK LBIAN NAVIGATG A WORLD WHERE HOMO-ANTAGONISM MIGHT LERALLY KILL.STUD LIFE/ NEW LIME REPUBLIC {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CAMPBELL X’S 2012 FILM STUD LIFE ALSO TACKL THE PLEXY OF BLACK LBIAN LIV. AND THERE ARE OTHER FILMS THAT PEER TO BLACK GIRLHOOD, WOMANHOOD AND LBIAN EXPERIENC THE PUBLIC MT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DIRECTED BY DREAM HAMPTON 2015, THE DOCUMENTARY TREASURE: FROM TRAGEDY TO TRANS JTICE MAPPG A DETRO STORY, CHRONICL THE LIFE AND MURR OF SHELLY “TREASURE” HILLIARD, A 19-YEAR-OLD TRANS WOMAN OM DETRO. SEAN BAKER’S HILAR EDY TANGERE (2015) EXPLOR THE NER LIV OF TRANS WOMEN SEX WORKERS.STILL BLACK/BLACK STAR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KORTNEY RYAN ZIEGLER’S GROUNDBREAKG DOCUMENTARY, STILL BLACK: A PORTRA OF BLACK TRANSMEN (2008), IS, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE ONLY FILM FOCED ON THE LIV OF BLACK TRANS MEN. AND JACQUELE GAR’ FREE CECE, WAS RELEASED 2016, FOUR YEARS AFTER THE FILMS’ NAMAKE, CECE MCDONALD, A BLACK TRANS WOMAN OM MNEAPOLIS TOOK A PLEA AL FOR A SEND-GREE MANSLGHTER CHARGE RECEIVED FOR FENDG HERSELF AGAST A MAN WHO ATTACKED HER WHILE WALKG WH HER IENDS ON A PUBLIC STREET.THE SKNY/ SZYMON SAYZ {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PATRIK IAN POLKS’ NOAH’S ARC: JUMPG THE BROOM (2008), THE SKNY (2012) AND BLACKBIRD (2014) OFFER NTEMPORARY TAK ON BLACK GAY LOVE AND IENDSHIPS, WHILE DARI CLARK MONROE’S SHORT "SLOW" (2011) ADDRS THE TERSECTNALY OF DISABILY, QUEERNS, AND BLACK LOVE. AND THE WEB SERI NO SHA (2015), IS A TEAR-DRIPPG EDY ABOUT BLACK LGBT LIFE NEW YORK OM CREATIVE AND ROMANTIC PARTNERS SEAN ANTHONY AND TERRY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE ARE A PLETHORA OF FILMS CENTERED ON THE LIV OF BLACK PEOPLE WHO LOVE AND FUCK PEOPLE OF THE SAME SEX, BUT WE ABSOLUTELY SERVE MORE. FILMMAKERS N ONLY CREATE MORE WORKS, HOWEVER, IF THEY HAVE THE FANCIAL ROURC AND DTRY SUPPORT TO DO SO. MOONLIGHT WAS THE LOWT-BUDGET FILM TO EVER W THE OSR FOR BT PICTURE. WHILE THAT'S EVINCE OF BARRY JENKS’ ARTISTRY AND GENUY, 'S ALSO DITIVE OF A LARGER PROBLEM: AS LONG AS LIMED ROURC ARE DIRECTED TOWARD BLACK FILMS, AS LONG AS HOLLYWOOD . THKS SUCH FILMS WON'T REACH MASS DIENC, THE DTRY’S WHENS PROBLEM WILL NEVER BE FIXED.NO SHA/SLAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THANK THE UNIVERSE, THOUGH, FOR THE GENI AND TENACY OF BLACK ARTISTS: NEXT MONTH, THE TORRGTONS ARE LNCHG SLAY TV, AN ONLE PLATFORM FOR ORIGAL NTENT—WEB SHOWS, MOVI, SHORTS, UNSCRIPTED SERI, DOCUMENTARI, MIC, AND MORE—FOCG ON QUEER PEOPLE OF LOR. AND THEY'RE NOT WAG FOR THE MASTREAM AND LGBT FILM DTRI TO GIVE THEIR BLSG. IT'S THAT KD OF DANGEROLY CREATIVE CISN THAT WILL PROPEL BLACK FILMMAKERS, CULTURAL PRODUCERS, AND DIENC {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN READY FOR THE WORKS. BLACK FILMMAKERS HAVE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO CREATE SPE LIMATNS. IT’S UP TO THE FILM DTRY AND THE LGBT FILM MARKET TO TCH UP, OR S BACK AND WATCH OM BEHD AS BLACK FILMMAKERS NTUE TO PH GREAT AND NECSARY ART TO THE ONT OF THE STAGE WHOUT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Janelle Monae, who plays a surrogate mother figure to Chiron, said she hoped movie-go would "feel more empathetic towards the black, poor gay male experience and that we ntue not to ostracize those who are different om . It is an example of what is possible when black filmmakers specifilly create art foced not on the Hollywood gaze, but on the worlds om which black people is also a remr black men who fall love wh other black men, like the two ma characters Moonlight, are not necsarily bt intified as “gay.

‘MOONLIGHT' IS NOT JT ANOTHER BLACK GAY MOVIE

Filmmakers cludg Marlon Riggs, the black gay creator of celebrated documentari like Tongu Untied (1989) and Black Is... Brack’s 2008 documentary Dream Deferred: The Sakia Gunn Film Project reviss the murr of a 15-year old om Newark and the rultg urt battle, and sheds light on what means to live life as a young black lbian navigatg a world where homo-antagonism might lerally kill. And Jacquele Gar’ Free CeCe, was released 2016, four years after the films’ namake, CeCe McDonald, a black trans woman om Mneapolis took a plea al for a send-gree manslghter charge received for fendg herself agast a man who attacked her while walkg wh her iends on a public Ian Polks’ Noah’s Arc: Jumpg the Broom (2008), The Skny (2012) and Blackbird (2014) offer ntemporary tak on black gay love and iendships, while Dari Clark Monroe’s short "Slow" (2011) addrs the tersectnaly of disabily, queerns, and black love.

IN 'MOONLIGHT,' GROWG UP BLACK, GAY AND POOR IN 1980S MIAMI

When to films about sexualy, Black gay men have had our share of low budget movi wh medcre actg and stereotypil storyl. McCraney, a Black gay man, often challeng genr and sexualy his work, and the movie he saw much of himself. It’s hard to ll the ma character the film gay bee he never intified as such; however, most of his timate nnectns the movie were between him and another man.

MOONLIGHT 2016 (GAY MOVIE)

And that do not make a gay or “sissy. For this reason, Moonlight unrsr the experienc many lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr (LGBT) youth face when creatg their own fay and support system. Hell, even I remember as a young Black gay man beg ncerned about the negative rpons to my sexualy om my fay and close iends.

Often tim when we are troduced to Black gay characters, often volv a bleak story about eher beg HIV-posive, sexually asslted by fay members, or the “down low” boogieman cheatg on his wife. It’s important to realize we have to go beyond the narrativ when talkg about “g of age” movi, and regnize Black gay men have a history of rilience and overg challeng. Black gay men are much more than sexual beasts and dysfunctnal dividuals.

Black gay men serve the space to be human- on and off screen.

‘IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO BE VULNERABLE’: HOW MOONLIGHT REFLECTS BEG A BLACK GAY MAN THE US

This film is not jt another Black gay movie, is lorful, creative, and reflective—and well worth your time.

EVEN A POST-MOONLIGHT WORLD, IT’S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A GAY MOVIE MAAS PRI MONTH DRAWS TO A CLOSE, SIX LGBTQ DIRECTORS REFLECT ON THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATNS OF GETTG THEIR WORK THROUGH THE SYSTEM.BY NICK ROMANOJUNE 27, 2017CLOCKWISE OM LEFT, JT KELLY'S I AM MICHAEL, 2015, ELIZA HTMAN'S BEACH RATS, 2017, ANDREW AHN'S SPA NIGHT, 2016, JAMIE BABB'S BUT I’M A CHEERLEAR, 2000, IRA SACHS' LOVE IS STRANGE, 2014, SYDNEY FREELAND'S DNKTOWN’S FT, 2014.CLOCKWISE OM LEFT, OM EVERETT COLLECTN, URTY OF SUNDANCE FILM FTIVAL, OM STRAND RELEASG/EVERETT COLLECTN, OM LNS GATE/EVERETT COLLECTN, OM SONY PICTUR/EVERETT COLLECTN, OM TOY GUN FILMS.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEHOLLYWOOD IS HAVG AN “EXCLIVELY GAY MOMENT”—A PHRASE ADVERTENTLY ED BY DIRECTOR BILL CONDON THIS WTER AND OVERBLOWN BY MEDIA ATTENTN. RECENT FILMS LIKE BETY AND THE BEAST AND POWER RANGERS HAVE “BROKEN GROUND” OR “MA HISTORY”—ACRDG TO THE HEADL, ANYWAY—AS MAJOR HOLLYWOOD RELEAS FEATURG OPENLY QUEER CHARACTERS. UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR “G OUT” SCEN HAVE MOSTLY BEEN LOST TRANSLATN.“I WATCHED ALIEN: COVENANT AND THERE’S A GAY UPLE , AND I HAD NO IA,” SPA NIGHT DIRECTOR ANDREW AHN TELLS VANY FAIR, LGHG. “AND I LOOK FOR GAY SH ALL THE TIME. I N’T BELIEVE I MISSED .”GLAAD’S FIFTH ANNUAL HOLLYWOOD REPORT RD NFIRMS THAT THE GAY MUNY IS STILL DRAMATILLY UNRREPRENTED MASTREAM MOVI: JT 23 OF THE 125 FILMS RELEASED BY STUDS 2016 FEATURED LGBTQ CHARACTERS, AND 10 OF THE 23 GAVE THEM LS THAN A MUTE OF SCREEN TIME. THE DIE REALM HAS BEE OUR PRIMARY SOURCE FOR MORE DIVERSY ON SCREEN. IT’S WHAT MA POSSIBLE FOR MOONLIGHT—A FILM ABOUT A QUEER PERSON OF LOR—TO W BT PICTURE AT THE OSRS. YET THAT SPACE WH S OWN PLITNS, AS MOONLIGHT DIRECTOR BARRY JENKS HAS DISCSED AT LENGTH.FOR SOMEONE LIKE LOVE IS STRANGE DIRECTOR IRA SACHS, WHO’S BEEN THE BS FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, N FEEL “NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE” TO MAKE LGBTQ FILMS. “I’M ENURAGED BY ANYONE WHO MANAG TO MAKE A FILM WH LGBTQ NTENT THAT FURTHERS THE VISIBILY,” HE SAYS OF MOVI LIKE MOONLIGHT AND THIS YEAR’S CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, WHICH IS ALREADY GENERATG AWARDS BUZZ. “I NEED THE VISIBILY AS MUCH AS ANYONE WHO’S STARTG OR BEGNG, AND AS MUCH AS THE DIENCE. IT’S A REMR THAT ’S NOT IMPOSSIBLE, THAT I’M WRONG TO SOME EXTENT.”JAMIE BABB, WHO PUT HERSELF ON THE MAP 1999 WH BUT I’M A CHEERLEAR, THOUGHT THE DTRY WOULD CHANGE WHEN BROKEBACK MOUNTA ME OUT 2005—BUT SHE TOO STILL NS TO THE SAME ROADBLOCKS THAT PERSISTED THE 90S. “IT’S SAD THAT THE HOLLYWOOD RPORATE MACHE, WHICH IS VERY MUCH QUEER AS FAR GLBT WORKG THE DTRY . . . ARE STILL TIMIDATED BY THE BOTTOM LE AND WORRIED THAT PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO WATCH QUEER STORI WHEN THAT LSON HAS BEEN, I THOUGHT, LEARNED TIME AND TIME AGA.”LGBT MOVI ARE STILL TOO OFTEN PIGEONHOLED AS “NICHE” ENTERTAMENT. JT KELLY HAD A “HEO REALIZATN” TO THAT EFFECT DURG THE FIRST FANCG MEETGS FOR HIS 2015 FILM I AM MICHAEL, STARRG JAM FRAN AS A GAY MAN WHO BE AN ANTI-GAY CHRISTIAN PASTOR. COMPANI WOULD SAY, “WE JT DID A GAY FILM LAST YEAR AND DIDN’T DO WELL.” HE RELLS THKG, “WOULD SOMEONE SAY WE DID A STRAIGHT FILM LAST YEAR AND DIDN’T DO WELL?”ELIZA HTMAN, APPROACHG THE GENRE AS A HETEROSEXUAL FILMMAKER, WAS UGHT OFF GUARD WH THE REACTN TO HER 2017 SUNDANCE SELECTN BEACH RATS. SHE EXPLORED “ADOLCENT FEMALE OBSSNS” WH HER FEATURE BUT, IT FELT LIKE LOVE—BUT WHEN SHE TOOK A MORE MASCULE APPROACH TO THE SAME NCEPT, WAS DISMISSED BY STG DIRECTORS AS THE ONE “WH ALL THE GAY SEX.”“IT WAS A LTLE NCERNG THAT THAT WAS WHAT PEOPLE WERE REACTG TO,” SHE SAYS, “BEE I THOUGHT THE FILM HAD A LOT MORE PTH THAN THAT. BUT I THK PEOPLE ARE A LOT MORE PROTECTIVE OF YOUNG TALENT, AND I THK THAT THERE ARE STILL STIGMAS AROUND WHAT KD OF ROL PEOPLE SHOULD AND SHOULDN’T PLAY.” BRISH ACTOR HARRIS DICKSON, WHO STARS BEACH RATS, HAD TO ASK HIS REPRENTATN TO BACK DOWN WHEN THEY “PHED BACK VERY HARD AGAST THE NUDY AND THE NTENT” OF THE STORY. HTMAN UNRSTANDS THEIR RPONSE TO SOME EXTENT—’S “THEIR JOB [TO] PROTECT THEIR CLIENTS”—BUT SHE ALSO BELIEV “THERE’S STILL A LOT OF TABOOS AROUND MALE NUDY AND MALE SEXUALY THAT EXIST FILM.”AS A TRANS NATIVE AMERIN WOMAN, SYDNEY FREELAND WAS TOLD THAT HER 2014 FEATURE DNKTOWN’S FT WAS A “NICHE OF A NICHE.” SHE LOOSELY BASED THE NCEPT ON HER OWN EXPERIENCE LIVG ON A NAVAJO RERVATN NEW MEXI, BUT MANY FANCIERS CLAIMED “THERE ISN’T A MARKET FOR THIS, PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO SEE THIS, PEOPLE AREN’T TERTED THIS, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.” AHN, ONE OF THE MOST LD BREAKOUTS OF 2016’S SUNDANCE FILM FTIVAL, FACED SIAR REMARKS, WHICH SENT HIM TO KICKSTARTER FOR HIS DIRECTORIAL BUT ABOUT A CLOSETED MAN A SMALL KOREAN-AMERIN MUNY. “WE ULDN’T EVEN GET THE MONEY TO GO THROUGH PREPRODUCTN,” HE SAYS.AND THOUGH TV GENERALLY HAS A REPUTATN FOR BEG RISKIER AND MORE CREATOR-IENDLY THAN FILM, BABB—WHO HELMED EPISOS OF THE L WORD AND LOOKG, AMONG A LENGTHY LIST OF SHOWS—BELIEV TELEVISN IS ALSO GOG BACKWARDS. “I LOVE TRANSPARENT AND THAT’S A GREAT SHOW WH QUEER CHARACTERS, FOR SURE, BUT THERE SHOULD BE 10 OF THEM NOW,” SHE SAYS.BABB HAS TRIED TO GET THREE DIFFERENT QUEER-ORIENTED SERI OFF THE GROUND OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. “I’M GETTG THE TOP MEETGS WH THE HEAD OF SHOWTIME, THE HEAD OF NETFLIX, THE HEAD OF HBO,” SHE SAYS. BUT A GREEN LIGHT REMAS ELIVE. THE CLOST SHE ME WAS WH AN ADAPTATN OF INGRID JUNGERMANN’S WEB SERI F TO 7TH, A CURB YOUR ENTHIASM-STYLE LBIAN EDY THAT “TALKS ABOUT QUEER CULTURE OM THE SI AND MAK FUN OF .” SHOWTIME ORRED A SCRIPT, BUT SHE SAYS THE PROJECT NEVER MOVED FORWARD. THE GENERAL RPONSE, SHE SAYS, WAS, “OH, IF ’S A LBIAN SHOW, IS THERE GONNA BE A LOT OF HOT SEX? IT’S SUCH A NICHE.”MOONLIGHT GROSSED $65 LN WORLDWI ON A $1.5 LN PRODUCTN BUDGET, BUT THE NSENS STILL SEEMS TO BE THAT FANCIERS DON’T SEE AN DIENCE FOR THE FILMS BEYOND THE LGBTQ MUNY. WHEN THEY DON’T SEE AN DIENCE, THEY DON’T SEE A PROF. WHEN ASKED TO SCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT STAGE OF FILM VELOPMENT, SACHS DON’T NEED TO MULL HIS ANSWER. “CAPAL,” HE SAYS. “VERY SIMPLY, PALISM MAK THE CREATN OF WORK FOR MARGALIZED MUNI DIFFICULT.”AND PAL IS WHY HOLLYWOOD, SPE THE PRENCE OF LGBTQ EXECUTIV, STILL LARGELY NSIRS THE VISIBILY OF THE CHARACTERS TO BE A RISK. TAKE BETY AND THE BEAST, FOR EXAMPLE. OUT OF S $1.25 BILLN GROSS, $85.8 LN ME OM CHA, $37.5 LN ME OM SOUTH KOREA, AND $14.6 LN ME OM RSIA—TERRORI WH CENSORSHIP LAWS THAT N TARGET LGBTQ NTENT. “THE TRAGEDY IS THAT THIS MOMENT WHERE WE THK WE’RE MAKG PROGRS, WHICH WE HAVE DOMTILLY, THERE IS AN ERASURE UNTRI LIKE, LET’S START WH RSIA,” SACHS EXPLAS. “I ED TO GO TO THE GAY FTIVALS THERE, AND THE LAST TIME I SENT MY FILMS THERE THE FTIVALS HAD BOMB SR TWO OR THREE TIM—AND THAT’S ONE STAGE.”KELLY LLS “A B SANE” WHEN HE’S TOLD BEFORE EVEN SHOOTG A QUEER-LEANG FILM THAT “ WILL FOR SURE NOT SELL THE 40 MARKETS,” BUT HE’S ALSO NOT NVCED HOMOPHOBIA IS THE SOLE TERRENT. HE ALSO C THE “TRAGIC STATE OF THE DIE FILM WORLD”—AND HE’S RIGHT, TO SOME EXTENT. THE MARKET HAS CHANGED SCE THE EARLY 2000S, WHEN STUDS BEGAN PHG THE STORI TO SPECIALTY DIVISNS LIKE FOC FEATUR AND FOX SEARCHLIGHT—AND GIVG THEM SMALLER BUDGETS. “I’M TRYG TO BE REALISTIC STEAD OF JT PLAG THAT ’S HARR TO GET GAY FILMS MA,” KELLY SAYS, “EVEN THOUGH IS, AND EVEN THOUGH ANNOYS ME EVERY DAY.”MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE 25 BT SHOWS ON NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT NOWBY TARA ARIANOADDG TO THE HEADACHE OF FANCG AND DISTRIBUTN IS MARKETG. “THERE IS A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO FD [LGBTQ FILMS] WHO HAVE THE APPETE TO FD , BUT YOU’RE NOT GONNA GET THE MARKETG PH THAT ALL THE STUD MOVI GET BEE ’S SUCH BIG BS NOW,” BABB SAYS. FILMS LIKE MOONLIGHT, THE IMATN GAME, AND CAROL DID GET WI PROMOTN, BUT THEY WERE ALSO AWARDS SEASON NTENRS. FOR SMALLER RELEAS, “Y, YOU N GET DISTRIBUTN ON NETFLIX OR AMAZON OR SUNDANCE SELECTS, IFC, WHATEVER—BUT YOU’RE NOT GONNA GET ANY MARKETG BEHD ,” BABB EXPLAS.AND THAT’S ASSUMG A FILM IS ACTUALLY SCREENED THEATERS—BEE AS AHN LEARNED WH SPA NIGHT, “ONCE YOU GET A DISTRIBUTOR, ’S NOT LIKE YOU’RE GUARANTEED TO PLAY THEATERS. THE THEATERS THEMSELV HAVE TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY WANT TO SCREEN, AND I HAD NO IA THAT’S HOW WORKED.”THE HOME TURF WAR NTU WH THE MPAA. LOVE IS STRANGE REIGNED QUTNS OF HOMOPHOBIA WHEN THE FILM, STARRG JOHN LHGOW AND ALED MOLA, WAS BRAND WH AN R-RATG FOR STRONG LANGUAGE. “THAT FILM ULDN'T BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR A YOUNG DIENCE,” SACHS SAYS. THE R-RATG FOR 2014’S PRI, THE STORY OF GAY ACTIVISTS TEAMG UP WH STRIKG MERS 1984 WAL, CED A SIAR NTROVERSY, AND HARVEY WESTE VERY PUBLICLY NTTED THE RATG (AND WON) FOR THIS YEAR’S 3 GENERATNS, ABOUT A TRANS TEENAGER.“I’D FD IENDS OF ME WH 15-YEAR-OLD KIDS NOT TAKG THEM TO THE MOVIE [BEE] THEY ASSUMED THE NTENT WOULD SOMEHOW BE DISPTIVE TO THEIR CHILDREN BEE OF THE R-RATG,” SACHS RELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCE, “WHICH WAS JT KD OF TRAGIC ON SOME LEVEL.” THE DIRECTOR OBJECTS TO THE WAY THE RATGS BOARD OPERAT: “LERALLY, THE MEMBERS OF THE MPAA HAD TO BE MARRIED PEOPLE TO REPRENT A KD OF FAY VALUE,” HE SAYS, REFERRG TO A POT MA KIRBY DICK’S 2006 DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE MPAA, THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED. “THIS IS DISGTG.”MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE 25 BT SHOWS ON NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT NOWBY TARA ARIANOIT’S STILL POSSIBLE TO FD SUPPORT FOR QUEER STORI THE DTRY. AHN, FOR ONE, POTS TO MARC HU, AN OPENLY GAY EXECUTIVE AT STRAND RELEASG WHO ADVOTED FOR HIS FILM. BUT IF NOT FOR SACHS’S “ALTERNATE UNIVERSE” OF DIVIDUALS HE ULD RELY UPON OUTSI THE TRADNAL FILMMAKG SPHERE, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE LOVE IS STRANGE. IN FACT, ALL OF THE DIRECTORS FOUND HOPE BY BUILDG THEIR OWN WORLDS AND FDG THEIR OWN DIENC. AHN, FREELAND, AND HTMAN WERE SUPPORTED THROUGH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS LIKE THE SUNDANCE LABS AND CEREACH, WHILE KELLY FED HIS OWN PATH WH THE BLSG OF G VAN SANT, WH WHOM HE WORKED ON 2008’S MILK. HE’S TEAMG UP WH JAM FRAN ONCE MORE FOR A BPIC OF J.T. LEROY.AS A MEMBER OF QUEER ART, A NON-PROF SUPPORTG LGBTQ VOIC FILM, VISUAL ARTS, PERFORMANCE, AND LERATURE, SACHS IS TRYG TO CREATE THIS SORT OF UNIVERSE ON A SYSTEMATIC LEVEL. “I THK WHAT IS IMPORTANT—AND IS STILL POSSIBLE—IS THAT ARTISTS TAKE RISKS, AND THOSE RISKS ARE BOTH PERSONAL AND FANCIAL. AND TO BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE RISKS IS WHAT HAS CREATED A HISTORY OF QUEER CEMA,” HE SAYS.“I DON’T THK ’S GOG TO BE THE MASTREAM THAT’S GOG TO DO THE WORK,” AHN NOT OF LGBTQ REPRENTATN. “I THK ’S MORE A GRASSROOTS-Y THG, AND JT HAS TO KEEP BUILDG AND BUILDG.” WHEN TO SEEG REAL CHANGE MASTREAM HOLLYWOOD, HE PREDICTS, “I THK THERE HAS TO BE A UPLE MORE MOONLIGHTS.”13 DAZZLG ACTORS WHO MA THEIR MOVIE DEBUTS 20161 / 13CHEVRONCHEVRONCOURTY OF A24.ANYA TAYLOR-JOY, THE WCHWH ONLY AN UNCREDED APPEARANCE VAMPIRE AMY ON HER LIST OF FILM APPEARANC, ANYA TAYLOR-JOY MA AN ENTRANCG MAJOR BUT THE SPELLBDG HORROR FILM THE WCH.NICK ROMANO

Hibbert as Chiron, a young black man growg up gay an impoverished part of Miami Moonlight.

It's an thentic, timate portra of a young, gay black man whose mother is a crack addict.

In 'Moonlight,' Growg Up Black, Gay And Poor In 1980s Miami : NPR

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MOONLIGHT IS A BETIFULLY NUANCED GAY G-OF-AGE TALEMOONLIGHT IS A BETIFULLY NUANCED GAY G-OF-AGE TALE