Alex R. Hibbert and Mahershala Ali in a scene from Moonlight. Ali won the Best Supporting Actor at this years’ Academy Awards. Photo from Fandango.com

By Armando Martinez

The Oscar winning film, Moonlight, looks at three defining chapters in the life of Chiron, a young African American gay man growing up in Miami.

In the first chapter, Chiron is ten years old, nicknamed “Little” who is taken in by a good-hearted drug dealer and his girlfriend.

In the second part of the film, a teenage Chiron explores his sexuality as he falls in love with a close friend.

The final chapter follows Chiron in his twenties as he reconnects with people from his past. His journey to manhood is guided by the kindness, support and love of the community that helps raise him.

This movie not only gave exposure to the LGBTQ community, but touched the hearts of everyone.

“Barry Jenkins’s new film somehow manages to feel grand and intricate in the same moment, weaving random memories and crucial life experiences into a gripping tapestry.” – The Atlantic

“Chiron emerges as the most touching exemplar of the film’s nuanced perspective, as he grapples with the layers of his own identity as an African American man who happens to be gay.” – Washington Post  

“A socially conscious work of art as essential as it is insightful.” – Vanity Fair