Moonlight Presentation SED5100

PRESENTATION BY: ERIKA HEAD AND ZOE ROSARIO

START

Moonlight.

- Elderly Woman to Juan

"In moonlight, black boys look blue. You’re blue. That’s what I’ll call you-Blue."

• Zoe and Erika here. We would like to welcome you to our creative project on the movie, Moonlight.

• There are many interactive elements in this presentation platform. Make sure to hover your computer mouse over buttons, places, and elements. This will allow you to click on various website links, social media links, music video links, and other resources to learn more.

• We had so much fun creating this presentation. We invite you to sit back and enjoy learning about an incredible movie. We hope this will offer another perspective to consider the struggles of people coming of age, dealing with loss/grief, and grappling with identity & sexuality.

• If you have any questions, comments, or simply want to chat about Moonlight, please feel free to contact us! :)

Welcome.

Table of contents

trailer

genre

books & art

iidentity

characters

Setting

Music

the cycle

cast

conflict & theme

QUOTE

director

Genres:

• Thriller
• Action
• Suspense
• Romance
• Coming of Age

Moonlight.

Chiron has experienced all of these. Many children are victims to these experiences daily.

Think for a moment about your life.

• Have you ever worried about safety in your neighborhood?
• Have any of your family members/friends sold drugs?
• Have you experienced a close friend/family member passing away young?
• Have you ever been away from family & your home for an extended period of time as a child?

00:30

Official trailer

masterminds behind moonlight.

• Moonlight won an Oscar in 2016

• From Liberty City, Miami, FL
• Jenkin's hometown is the same setting as Moonlight!

• Other Notable Works:
• If Beatle Street Could Talk (2018)
• Aftersun (2022)
• Medicine for Melancholy (2008)

• "American director, writer, and producer known for creating lyrical, empathetic films that center on Black characters" (Britticana).

• Quote from TIME Magazine:
• When describing the look of the characters within the location Jenkins told TIME last month, “Cinema is a little over 100 years old, and a lot of what we do is built around film emulsion. Those things were calibrated for white skin. We’ve always placed powder on skin to dull the light. But my memory of growing up in Miami is this moist, beautiful black skin. So we used oil. I wanted everyone’s skin to have a sheen to reflect my memory.”

Director - Barry jenkins

Actor from Ponchatoula, LA.Studied kinesiology at the University of Texas-Austin.Notable movies: Moonlight, Bird Box, and United States vs. Billie Holiday

Trevante Rhodes = Black (Adult)

Actor from Carson, CA.Notable movies: Moonlight, The Retrieval, Captive State, and The Equalizer 2

Ashton Sanders = Chiron (Teenager)

Actor from New York City, NY.Notable movies: Moonlight, Black Panther, and The Chi

Alex R. Hibbert = Little (Youth)

Chiron: 3 different actors

Chiron: 3 different actors

Actor from Bessemer, AL.Notable movies: Moonlight, 42, Selma, and A Wrinkle in Time

Andre Holland = Kevin

Actress from London, England.Notable movies: Moonlight, 28 Days Later, Skyfall, and Collateral Beauty

Naomie Harris = Paula

Actor from Oakland, CA.Notable movies: Moonlight, Swan Song, Green Book, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Mahershala Ali = Juan

more actors & actresses

setting.

Atlanta, GA

Miami, FL

1980s: Miami and Atlanta

Miami

Atlanta

The movie follows Chiron's life and is divided into 3 sections:

• Little (Youth)
• Chiron (Teenager)
• Black (Adult)

Little & Chiron takes place when Chiron grows up in the neighborhood of Liberty City in Miami, FL with his mom.Black takes place in Atlanta, GA when Chiron moves out of Miami and starts dealing drugs in Atlanta.

Setting

CHARACTERS.

• Lives in the neighborhood "Liberty City" with his mom in Miami, FL

• Taught how to swim by Juan, who acts as a father figure to Little and looks out for him

• Eats dinner frequently with Juan and Teresa, even staying overnight one time

• Learned independence at a young age, as his mom was not involved with his life or schooling
• Chiron had to figure out how to take a bath by himself by boiling water on the stove

• Often unjustly criticized by his mom

Chiron (Little)

• Regularly attends high school

• A profound moment regarding Chiron exploring his sexuality occurs when he kisses Kevin on the dock and the two share an intimate moment

• The Fight: Terrell the bully tells Kevin to hit Chiron in the parking lot after school. Kevin punches Chiron multiple times and Chiron is badly injured

• In the principal's office, Chiron refuses to name Terrell or Kevin as involved with the fight or as the instigators

• When Chiron goes back to school, he breaks a chair on Terrell's head in class

• This era ends as Chiron is arrested

Chiron (Chiron)

• Now lives in Atlanta, GA and sells drugs

• Wears expensive, gold jewelry and drives a nice car

• Visits his mom, Paula, and the two start to repair their relationship

• Kevin calls Chiron for the first time in years, and the two meet at Kevin's diner to catch up

• Kevin tells Chiron that he now has a girlfriend, son, and steady job, and Chiron reflects on how he has not been with another man since Kevin

Chiron (Black)

• Deals drugs to Chiron's mom

• Is married and lives with Teresa

• Is a father figure for Chiron

• Teaches Chiron to be true to himself despite what his bullies say

• He is only there for Chiron's childhood and passes away by the time Chiron is in high school
• Despite this he had still left a positive influence in Chiron's life in terms of being a strong male figure for him

Juan

• Is married to Juan

• Gives Chiron a place to stay whenever he needs, even when Juan passes away

• Acts as a mother figure to Chiron because his bilogical mother is not there for him

• Doesn't let Chiron hide from who he is - she encourages him to take pride in himself

Teresa

• Has been Chiron's best and only friend since they were little kids

• Wants Chiron to stick up for himself and doesn't understnad why he doesn't fight back when Chiron is bullied

• Is scared to be himself and pushes Chiron away so that his reputation isn't ruined

• Has made many mistakes but learned to love himself and take accountability when he has a daughter and grows up

kevin

• Chiron's mom

• Single parent living in Liberty City, Miami, FL

• Works as a nurse

• Prostitutes herself for money to buy more drugs from Juan

• Not involved with Chiron's academic or social life

• Begs and threatens Chiron for money when he is a teenager

• Reconnects with Chiron (Black) later in life to mend their relationship

Paula

• Chiron's main bully

• He conforms to toxic masculinity and eggs people on to beat up Chiron because he does not conform to the same values as him

• Pits Kevin and Chiron against each other

• Is hit by a chair by Chiron once he goes too far and pushes Chiron past his limit

Terrell

• Identity is who we are.
• The greatest influences on our identity come from our parents/guardians.
• Our experiences that we are exposed to through the cycle of socialization impact our identity. Sometimes, it is very difficult to change, accept, or refine one's identity. Identities are made up of dominant and subordinate groups, and people can have intersecting identities.
• Juan acts as a father figure and mentor to Little, supporting him and encouraging him on his identity journey.
• In life, we all must work together to support one another and create spaces where people are free to express their identities and be themselves.

- Juan

"At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you gonna be. Can’t let nobody make that decision for you."

erika's Favorite character

I loved Teresa because she was kind to Chiron when he needed help. She gave him a place to sleep and cooked him food, knowing he was in need. This continued into Chiron's adolescence, even after her husband Juan died, who was primarily teaching Chiron and caring for him. I was touched by Teresa's dependability and empathy.

I liked that Juan was there for Chiron without even being asked. He saw that Chiron needed an adult he could trust and he stepped in. He and Teresa taught him that kindness and being yourself is what really matters, and to take pride in that.

zoe's Favorite character

Conflicts & themes.

• In class, we discuss how factors such as race, ethnicity, sexuality, and socioeconomic status, all have a major impact on the formation of identity.
• So do our family, guardians, and friends. Children receive the most influence from who they live with.
• Kevin did not feel supported or empowered throughout his childhood to make his own choices-he let others make the choice for him. Characters struggling with identity formation is a major theme of Moonlight.

- Kevin

"Never really did anything I actually wanted to do. It was all I could do was to do what folks thought I should be doing. I wasn’t never really myself."

Main conflicts

Person vs. Self:

• Chiron is at odds with his sense of self and sexuality. He is called a faggot as a child and then as a young adult, Terrell tells Kevin to punch him because he is gay. This leads to him feeling confused, overwhelmed, and hiding who he wants to be.

Person vs. Person:

• Chiron confronts Terrell the bully when Terrell instigates the fight between him and Kevin. Chiron retaliates by hitting Terrell with a chair.
• Paula threatens and coerces Chiron into giving her money to fuel her drug addiction.

the cycle of socialization plays a big role in driving the characters' actions in Moonlight

What can these characters tell us about the cycle of socialization? Click to find out!

cycle of socialization: Juan

Juan is a positive male role model in Chiron's life, but as time goes on after his passing, Chiron falls into the cycle of socialization. The toxic masculinity that Juan's character combatted was now taking over Chiron's character. We see that once Chiron becomes an adult, he becomes an opposite role model to young Black men that Juan was. The young man that works with him is afraid of Chiron, something that Chiron never felt about Juan. We can assume that the young man will try to become what Chiron embodies when he grows up.Chiron also ends up dealing drugs despite it playing such a destructive role in his childhood. This can also relate to how Juan dealt drugs to Chiron's mother, and despite his best efforts, could not break the cycle of Chiron getting involved with it.

cycle of socialization: Kevin

Kevin is Chiron's only friend throughout the film, but his betrayal represents how the cycle of socialization is kept in place through fear and insecurity. Kevin obviously doesn't want to see Chiron get hurt, but he still goes through with hurting him to save his own pride and reputation, and so he doesn't look weak in front of the other boys at their school. Kevin makes sure that no one can question his masculinity or even guess that he is queer, and maintaining this persona is more important than protecting his friend. Like the cycle suggests, Kevin decides "not to make waves" and "promotes the status quo" by not standing up for his friend, because Chiron represents the opposite of the norm. Chiron is quiet and not violent and perceived as weak and effeminate, and by Kevin to stand up for Chiron, he would be admitting that he thinks those qualities of Chiron are okay when the rest of the boys do not.

cycle of socialization: Paula (chiron's mom)

Paula reinforces what society already tells Chiron, and that is he is not normal and he has to change to become a "real man". Paula seems ashamed in the beginning of the film that her son is perceived as so weak and queer. She goes as far as to call him a slur in one of the scenes of him as a child. The first socialization is from the people we trust and are closest to. For Chiron, this is Paula, and she socializes him by instilling these ideas of what masculinity should be in him. She is upset with Juan stepping in a guiding Chiron, and I think this is in part to the opposite set of values that he is teaching Chiron that contrasts what Paula is teaching him. By the time Paula is in rehab and is working on herself she can finally see the damage that she has done to Chiron, as he is now a completley different person than in the beginning of the film. He is nothing like his old self and instead is almost a characiture of masculinity.

What can each stage of Chiron's Life tell us about his identity and Intersectionality?

From a young age Chiron is bullied for being more effeminate than his peers.

His queerness keeps him from making many connections with kids his age because he is different. He is also quiet and does not fight back despite having the strength to do so. Even his own mother is ashamed of how her son is gentler than the other kids. Chiron is isolated because of his queerness, with only a few people that accept him

little: Queer

The "Chiron" chapter of the film is all about masculinity

Chiron goes directly against when masculinity is understood to be in his neighborhood; aggressive, prideful, and unapologetic. We see with his interactions with Chiron that Kevin does not necessarily fit this mold either, but he pretends to, and is willing to go far to save his own reputation. Chiron goes his own path until he is betrayed by Kevin, and decides to prove his masculinity by beating up his bully despite it cost.

chiron: cisgender male

When we see Chiron as an adult he is the picture of a stereotypical tough Black man and unrecognizable from his younger self

He has grills on his teeth, demands obedience, is now selling drugs, plays loud music in his car, and doesn't shy away from violence. He is nothing like the Chiron that we see at the beginning of the film, and it is because he has leaned into what society expects of him as a Black man. As he reunites with Kevin, his walls come down and the real Chiron shines through, because he is more than a stereotype, and we as the audience know that he is playing a role and this isn't really who he wants to be.

black: African American

Notable events.

Learning to swim - Juan teaches Little

JUST KEEP SWIMMING.

Juan acts as a father figure to Little (Chiron). One of the most impactful moments is when Juan teaches Little to swim. Juan starts off by holding Little's body and head in the water, careful to not let him sink beneath the water. Slowly, Little starts to learn how to swim, forward stroke, and float on his own. Little was once afraid of the water, and how has conquered his fear and learned a new skill. The water signifies freedom and opportunity.

old friends meet again - chiron and kevin at the diner

THE CHEF'S SPECIAL.

Chiron and Kevin meet up for the first time in years at the diner. Kevin has a jukebox and plays the song, "Hello Stranger," by Barbara Lewis, which the two listened to in childhood together. Also, Kevin makes Chiron the "chef's special" meal.Kevin fills in Chiron on his life--how he now has a son, a job, and a completely different life than in his past. Kevin's life is going in a positive direction. Kevin is disappointed to see that Chiron has resorted to selling drugs after he got out of jail. This scene is emotional and impactful because it takes place toward the end of "coming of age" as two childhood friends nagivate adulthood in different ways.Kevin closes up his diner and the two go back to Kevin's apartment to talk. The movie ends with Kevin asking Chiron, "Who are you?" This gives viewers hope for Chiron's future.

• In class, many of us have expressed coming from majority-white schools that only had a handful of diverse students, if any at all. This quote celebrates black history and black visibility, reminding viewers that black people are all around, even if institutions like the media and schools do not show it.
• To connect to Verna Myer's TedTalk, exploring the history of successful black people is a way to educate, appreciate, and celebrate their accomplishments.
• In "The Case for Reparations," author Ta-Nehisi Coates advocates for paying blacks reparations due to historical injustices and targeting of black people.

- Juan

"There are black people everywhere. You remember that, okay? No place you can go in the world that ain’t got no black people."

music.

Spotify playlist

Think of the way artists use their voices to emphasize a message, an emotion, a state of being, and/or a call to action.Music is powerful.Music tells a story.Music connects us.These were the songs that spoke to us and reminded us of themes in Moonlight. These songs express the continuation of Moonlight's characters struggling with identity and acceptance, searching for love, and overall coming of age. Now, we invite you to add some songs to our playlist. It is set up as a collaborative playlist, so if you have Spotify, you can directly add a song to the playlist. If you do not have Spotify, you can leave suggestions on our google doc by clicking the blue link, and we wil add your song suggestions.

Spotify playlist

Djo

End of Beginning

Zoe's Favorite PIcks

CLICK THE aLBUM covers to learn more

Like Me

Steve Lacy, DAISY WORLD

A BOY IS A G*N

Tyler, The Creator

Real Men

Mitski

Savage Good Boy

Japanese Breakfast

REal Men - Mitski

CHECK OUT THE "Savage good boy" MuSIC VIDEO

Both of these songs follow a similar theme of toxic masculinity.

These songs point out not only how damaging constricting understandings of masculinity can be, but also how outlandish and nonsensical they are. This can be seen in lyrics like "And real men don't eat 'Cause they're above that, damn it" from "Real Men". The lyrics play off the idea that there is only one way to be a man, and that to not fit these characteristics is to go against everything that defines manhood. As the movie goes on, we watch as Chiron becomes what society believes a Black man to be, even though it goes against who he really is, as Kevin points out in their reunion at the end of the movie.

Savage GOod Boy - Japanese Breakfast

Learn more about the meaning behind "A Boy IS A g*n"

Watch the Music Video

I found that a lot of Tyler, The Creator's discography relates to the themes of Moonlight

This song is about the vulnerability that comes with love, and how it leaves us open to getting hurt. Love can be as lethal as a gun, no matter your gender or sexuality. Chiron and Kevin love each other, whether it be romantically or platonically, and this love is part of what leads to Chiron's surmise. It is Kevin's betrayal after his intimacy with Chriron that is Chiron's last straw, and it leads him to beat up the leader of his bullies which ends him up in juvy. Love is a dangerous thing for Chiron not only because of his distrust in relationships, but his sexuality makes him a target which he has experienced since he was a child.

A Boy is a g*n - TYler, The Creator

In this song the singer calls out and asks if there's anyone out there who relates to them and their struggles, their emotions, and their fears, with the refrain saying:"How many out there just like me?How many others not gon' tell their family?How many scared to lose their friends like me?"Chiron has very few people in his life, and yet he still struggles to open up fully with them. He has no positive male role models other than Juan, and when he dies there is no one that he knows that is like him to guide him to self-acceptance. Without knowing anyone like him he feels alone and eventually succumbs to what he needs to be to survive, and gives up on being himself.

Learn more about Steve Lacy from Variety Magazine

Steve Lacy is a Black queer artist, and "Like Me" is a song about the isolation and loneliness that comes from those intersecting identities

like me - steve lacy

"End of Beginning" is a song about moving on from your old self, and the nostalgia you feel from being back in your hometown. The lyrics can be read with a feeling of regret, or reminising on the past, or simply as a wish to go back to simpler times. The refrain goes,"And when I'm back in Chicago, I feel itAnother version of me, I was in itI wave goodbye to the end of beginning "Chiron's "end of beginning" is the end of part 2 when he leaves Miami and changes his character. Chiron leaves Miami for Atlanta, but when he comes back to see Kevin he is thrown back into the past. When we as the audience see how much Kevin has changed, and how he's doing pretty well from himself despite his past mistkakes, it makes us wonder about the version of Chiron's self that he threw away for this newer version of himself in Atlanta. Would he be happier if he didn't change?

Viral Tiktok TRend using this song people showing off their love for chicago!

A big shift from part 1 and 2 of Moonlight and part 3 is the location change from Miami to Atlanta (click to learn more about these places)

End of beginning - DJo

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All My Life

Lil Durk, ft. J. Cole

Common Ground

Jack Harlow

READ MORE

erika's Favorite PIcks

The Friend

VINCINT

read more about vincint's life in refinery29

This song expresses the disappointment, grief, and loneliness of going from lovers to friends. "Cause I'm always the friend, never the one with the kiss in the rain and the happy end."At the end of Moonlight, Chiron does not have a romantic partner. He sees how happy his friend Kevin is with his girlfriend, even after the romantic moments Kevin and Chiron shared in their teenage years. Chiron feels like a third wheel, like "the friend." He does not have a happy ending in finding a romantic partner."Cause I'm watching you across the room You're holding him, he's loving you, and he's not the only one."Knowing that VINCINT is a queer black artist, listeners can hear the pain in his voice as it becomes evident his former romantic partner has moved on with someone new, but VINCINT has not. This is precisely how Chiron feels at the end of Moonlight. In the final scene, Chiron tells Kevin he hasn't been with any man since their time together. Chiron loves Kevin, even though Kevin is in a new relationship with his girlfriend.

The Friend - vincint

"Common ground ain't that common." This song addresses the disparities between different races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses that are often disregarded when people try to find "common ground.""White girls... Reciting rap lyrics 'bout murder and cash profit,Get to feel like a thug but don't have to act on it,Local homicide rates got 'em astonished,Reading 'bout it on a laptop in pajamas."Harlow raps about how white privilege affords white people shelter from dangerous and violent experiences black people face. For example, white people's learning experience can be mediated through technology, music, and safe housing. On the other hand, racist housing policies like redlining have forced black people like Chiron to live in neighborhoods and apartments that are overrun by drugs and high murder rates."Never seen the hood still can't help but have comments,Never had a convo with a kid from that climate,That really has trauma, that really got taught,To survive by any means."Again, Harlow highlights the disconnect between white people living in safe housing and black people living in the hood. Chiron's childhood of living in unsafe housing with a nonsupportive mother has resulted in trauma that impacts his feelings on identity, sexuality, and his capabilities.

common ground - jack harlow

GeniusLyrics says, "Durk’s hometown, Englewood, Chicago is often regarded as one of the most dangerous places in Chicago. Struggling with poverty, gang violence, and gun violence among many other problems, Englewood is hard to make it out of."

"All my life (All my life), They been tryin' to keep me down (They been tryna keep me down),All this time (All this time), Never thought I would make it out (Never thought I'd make it out), They couldn't break me, they couldn't break mе (No, no), They couldn't take me, thеy couldn't take me (No), All my life (All my life), They been tryin' to keep me down (They been tryna keep me down)"Lil Durk emphasizes how poverty can seem impossible to escape and how it seems there is no chance for a better future. External forces oppressed him; he admits he did not think he would make it out of the cycle. Chiron lived in poverty with his mother, who spent a lot of time with drug dealers and gangs in a dangerous neighborhood. It was not expected that Chiron would make it out of his home situation--it was expected Chiron would become a dealer.

This song highlights how difficult it is to escape poverty and oppression.

all my life - lil durk, ft. j. cole

literature& art.

Heartstopper

By Alice Oseman

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

By Benjamin Alire Sáenz

If you enjoyed moonlight, then you may enjoy reading...

The Hate U Give

By Angie Thomas

comic artist, memoirist, LGBTQ+ activist, feminist

poet, professor, novelist, memoirist, civil rights and LGBTQ+ activist, intersectional feminist

poet, novelist, memoirist, civil rights and LGBTQ+ activist, playwright, essayist

Alison Bechdel

Audre Lorde

If you enjoyed moonlight, then you may Like authors like...

James Baldwin

by Anadoring

by Danielle Del Plato

erika's pintrest vision board

moonflowers only bloom at night...

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With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like!Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.

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With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like!Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.

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