The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences awarded its 2017 Best Picture award to Moonlight, which was written and directed by Barry Jenkins. The tender exploration of expectations for black men, contrasted with the reality of Chiron's vulnerable personality, serves as the focus of a film analysis video that examines the movie's technique for both narrative and filmmaking structure.

Concepts

film analysis, film, film making, narrative structure, homosexuality, stereotypes, perspective

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Additional Tags

visual and performing arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Show in a film analysis class or when introducing more sophisticated filmmaking techniques in film school
• Have class members watch the film on their own after viewing the explanatory video in class, and have them note the examples of realism and formalism
• Encourage learners to draw parallels between the film and the Greek myth of Chiron the minotaur

Classroom Considerations

• Prior knowledge of several works by Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese would be helpful
• Moonlight is rated R; consult your district's policy on whether you will need parental permission to show it in class

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Provides clear examples of how subjective filming and editing allows the audience to better see a character's perspective
• Differentiates between techniques used in realism and formalism

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.2 RL.11-12.2 SL.9-10.2 SL.11-12.2