Hes growing up without much reinforcement outside Juan and Teresas home. Fill the bowl halfway with cold water, ensuring that the lettuce is completely submerged. The first feature film with an all-black cast, Moonlight premiered in the United States on October 21, 2016. Everyone who watched the film Im pretty sure assumed that happened to Tarell. "It's gonna be okay," he tells her, using an elongated version of his beloved catchphrase. Juan pulls off a wooden board from the window and finds the boy hiding. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Though portrayed as dead in the movie, his immense influence lived on through Chiron, the main Protagonist in the movie. Chiron is a shy, withdrawn child largely due to his small size and being neglected by his mother, who is more concerned about getting her fixes and satisfying her carnal needs than taking care of him. A group of school boys are chasing him which leads him to hide out in an abandoned apartment where Juan follows him into and takes him back to his home. How did Tianas Dad Die? Her return to Comala and marriage to Pedro Pramo are the most significant plotline in the book's second half. What Happened to Him in the Game? What happens next? He lives in public housing with his single mother, Paula (Naomie Harris), who goes on drug binges, less to alleviate her sadness than to express her wrathagainst the world and, especially, against her son, who she thinks keeps her from the world. With beautiful cinematography and powerful acting, its no surprise that the movie Moonlight won Best Picture at the Oscars. The bullies throw rocks at the window before leaving. BJ:In particular, the struggle he goesthrough with his mother was something I actually lived. After a brief vocabulary lesson, during which he learns the meaning of faggot, the boy confronts Juan about whether or not he is the one who supplies his mother with her drugs. Juan was brought to life by actor Mahershala Ali. A junkie is desperately trying to buy something off the other man, but he is continuously rejected. You can use sub-object selection to select drag candidates. *Warning: Article contains film spoilers*. The fact that Chiron's one moment of emotional and sexual connection with another individual is immediately punished with violence seems to have a very damaging impact on his life. Why did you decide to end it that way? Like, Im tired as hell right now, man, and I aint making no more than shoe money, but I aint got no worries man. BJ:I want people to see these characters and see them in all their full individuality. Girl with Deadly Inherited Condition Cured with Gene Therapy. Solution 1. The audience is left to assume that Juan has been crucified by the inevitable, doomed life of any long time drug-dealer. He gives into these traditional ideas of masculinity not because they fit him, but as a survival tactic. At one point, after teaching Little how to swim in the ocean, Juan recounts a story from his youth about an old lady who said to him, "In moonlight, black boys look blue. That was something when I read the play I just saw and believed this would have happened to him. In Liberty City, Miami at the height of the crack epidemic, Afro-Cuban drug dealer Juan finds Chiron, a withdrawn child who goes by the nickname "Little," hiding from a group of bullies in a crackhouse. How Did Jayo Sama Die? So he might choose to protect or identify with this otherness that he sees in Little. Did any gay man who came of age, as I did, in the era of Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and AIDS, think hed survive to see a version of his life told onscreen with such knowledge, unpredictability, and grace? Chiron gets out of the car, and the two try to act natural as Kevin calls Chiron "Black." Last Update: Jan 03, 2023. By the second act, years have passed and Chiron has become a teenager. When the tougher neighborhood kids would call young Chiron gay and a faggot, Chiron wasnt yet aware that he did not have to accept those derogatory nicknames or personas. And it changes everything. Juan is a major character in the Oscar-winning filmMoonlight. Hes an outsider at school, and at home, too. They laugh, and Kevin says he didn't know Chiron smoked. Unfortunately, the circumstances surrounding his death are never revealed in the film itself. ), and what their super objective was (what the character needed to get by the plays end), and what stood in their way of achieving that goal. . The blue of the ocean. Paula was Chirons mother in Moonlight. But drugs have made a mess of family, or the idea of family, and Paula gets in Juans face when he tries to stop her from using. The audience is left to assume that Juan has been crucified by the inevitable, doomed life of any long time drug-dealer. However, in an unfortunate turn of events, Kevin is forced to beat up Chiron by the school's main bully Terrel (Patrick Decile). Despite having appeared throughout the initial third of the film, however, his character is gone by the time it enters the second act, Chiron. What happened to him? resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Was it important for you, as a director, to ensure the protagonist steered clear of that? The latter tells him he hated his mother too, but she passed away. In each section, he becomes a different person. "Moonlight" was one of the best films of 2016, winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. This was attributed to the almost perfect cinematography and powerful acting. Juan was a drug dealer, but he wasnt your typical thug hustling in their Miami streets. I believe much of this has to do with the significance of Juans role in Chirons story. (There are no white characters in the film, and this is a radical move on Jenkinss part. Running around with no shoes on when the moon was out. Not in a very intimate and nurturing way. Chiron embodies Juan for the first time in an ominous way; he is now a drug dealer, running the streets with authority and smarts just as Juan once had. What was the king's Privy Council? Moonlight Juan, who comes from Cuba, works as a drug dealer in a poor Miami neighborhood. In a way, this proves true when Kevin betrays Chiron by beating him for public show, a knife in the back of his new lover. Different circumstances, but not very different. by which I mean a lot of these very similar things happened to me. The only friend Chiron had growing up was his childhood friend and first love, Kevin. Eventually, the two find themselves at Kevin's apartment where Chiron breaks down, revealing to Kevin that he is the only man Chiron has ever been with. [Another pause] Juan : [to Little] At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you gonna be. Indeed, after Kevin jokes with Chiron about a girl, he dreams about Kevin having sex with her. This implies to the audience that Chiron chooses to accept his nickname Black. A clumsy or inelegant solution to a problem. "I kept thinking about Juan and really missing that character," he said. The boy doesnt even say his name, Chiron, until Juan nudges him: You dont talk much but you damn sure can eat. The affectionate scolding makes Chiron (Alex Hibbert, a first-time actor, who couldnt be better) sit up and take notice; it tells him that he counts. Its a vicious cycle, in which the characters are oppressed by everything but hope. Juan, who comes from Cuba,works as a drug dealer in a poor Miami neighborhood. I wanted a reallysimple, crystallized moment of nurturing, of warmth, of intimacy, because I feel like thats all the character is capable of. The correct way to say Beethoven's surname is difficult for English speakers because it . Their collaborative project is now getting the attention of industry insiders and has earned rave reviews. At the screening I attended, the entire audience froze, as did the figures onscreen. theGrio:What was it about Tarell Alvins McCraneys play that made you want to retell the story in film? At the beginning of the film, Juana Cuban drug dealer comes across a withdrawn child in a crackhouse in Liberty City, Miami, who goes by the name Chiron. Juans biggest impact on Chiron was when he was, well, Little. Throughout the rest of the film, it is only explained through dialogue that Juan has died. The two exchange deadly eye contact. A little bit outside and away from center, and not necessarily represented in the most truthful or most connected way, he said. He respects our intelligence enough to let us just sit still and watch the glorious faces of his characters as they move through time. In response, she rebukes him for selling her the substance in the first place. BJ:She didnt have to be there, but in a way she had to be there. Similar to when Juan had rejected his nickname of Blue, Chiron made the decision to fully embrace and identify with his actual name. Will it happen now? Boring, but we remain hopeful. This process dilutes the system water mineral concentrations that steadily increase due to water evaporation. Little was a nickname given to a young Chiron by his peers. Although Chiron is leery of the fact that another boy gave him a nickname, to avoid any implications of his sexuality, Chiron never did stop Kevin from calling him Black. The film is packed with breathtaking sequences and emotional moments in Chiron's life, but one of Moonlight 's most gorgeous and memorable scenes comes in the first act, as drug dealer Juan. T. said he seemed a bit intimidated by us and maybe he did, his gestures were very careful, they didn't talk much. How Did Monses Mom Die? Kevin then comforts Chiron, letting down his wall, and the film closes with a shot of a young Chiron on the beach. Juans physical presence is only portrayed in the beginning of the movie. At school the next day, Terrel asks Kevin if he remembers playing the game "knock down, stay down" as children, asking Kevin if he'll beat up whoever Terrel points out. What Actually Happened to the Cowboy? And I feel like at a moments notice, a man like Juan is going to get snatched out of that kids life. In the film's second act, viewers learn more definitely that Chiron is gay, as he is just starting to understand his sexuality. Between 1958 and 1964, Wallace charted nine hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the No. Juans death scene is not clearly depicted in the movie Moonlight. The film is broken up into three parts: Little, Chiron, and Black. In an exclusive interview with theGrio.com, Jenkins shares why he decided to bring McCraneys story to life on film, talks about the intersections of sexuality, socio-economics and gender constructs, and explains why he hopes the film provides visibility to people who would otherwise go unnoticed. When Chiron asks Juan if Blue was his name, Juan said: At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you gon be. Later, Kevin gives Chiron a ride home and asks if that was his first time doing anything sexual. When Kevin calls up Chiron out of the blue (no pun intended) to invite him back down to Miami to reconnect, we can assume that Kevin is no longer ignoring his feelings about Chiron. In the principal's office, Chiron is urged to press charges and give the school the names of the boys who beat him up. Juan takes Little under his wing and provides the fatherless boy with some much-needed mentoring. Its hard for a man of color walking those sun-bleached streets not to watch his back or feel that his days are numbered. Interestingly enough, however, Juan is nowhere to be seen. Part 3) When the main character is an adult - the most boring part of the three, as it is just him and his friend sitting in a restaurant, talking. He was the first Muslim actor to ever receive an Academy Award. You have to get onyour moms still a crackhead, and you still have to deal with these kids f***ing with you at school. You can be gay, but you aint gotta let nobody call you no faggot.. Know the Reason Here! A younger Chiron asks Juan what a faggot is, to which Juan responds: A faggot is a word used to make gay people feel bad., No., says Juan. Juan says: I was a wild lil shorty, man, just like you. GradeSaver "Moonlight (Film) Chiron Summary and Analysis". We also quickly learn that Juan has died in the space between the first and second chapter, a shockwave that we watch echo through Chiron's relationships with Kevin, Teresa, and Paula in this section. TG:When Juan dies in the film, we dont get to see Chiron grieve the loss of the closest thing he had to a father. Shes in rehab in Atlanta, and he has fulfilled his destiny by example: like Juan, hes a drug dealer in a do-rag. Not affiliated with Harvard College. In his high school science class, a bully named Terrel makes fun of Chiron for being effeminate and is kicked out of class. I wanted to cast different people to play the same person, and I wanted to give him a different name. Im not sure whats going to happen to Black a week later, a month later or a year later. In Miami, a drug dealer named Juan (Mahershala Ali) meets with one of his boys near the dope holes in town. I was just hooked. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. It's a beautiful ending, but what does it mean? That night, Chiron appears to wake up and walk through Teresa's house only to find Kevin having sex with a girl in the backyard. Whether or not it was intentional from the writers or the director of the film, they never stated exactly how Juan had passed. Score: 4.2/5 (69 votes) . He told her of the bishop's answer, and she instructed him to gather roses and take them to the bishop as a sign. But this does not cease Juan from taking little Chiron under his wing, helping the young boy find himself and gain confidence in who he was. When I was casting, I wanted someone who was extremely charismatic. But if it wasnt for Juan seeing something familiar, special, in young Chiron, if he hadnt shown the quiet little boy that someone can accept him unconditionally, Chirons future would have been trapped in despair. -M-NUva. To be afforded a. Ad Choices. They shake hands, betraying their sexual chemistry. I feel like stereotypes come from outside the community, but I feel like characters come from inside the community. Why is September 15 Clemente Day? Kevins newly christened perspective affirms to Chiron that there is more to life than the troubled, poverty-stricken world where they grew up. Shes a rotten baby, flailing around, as full of bile as Terrel (Patrick DeCile, in an incredible characterization), who bullies Chiron at school. Set in Miami, the film explores the many difficulties of Chirons lifefrom his identity to his sexuality. Chiron is then picked up by a police car, which leads into the third act. He saw it in Juan. What Really Happened To Fran Lockwood? Later, he eats dinner at Teresa's house; Juan is notably absent. There area bunch of straight boys who would never in a million years admit that what theywere doing was exploring theirsexuality. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Note: There will be spoilers for the film down below! When the main protagonist, Chiron, is chased by bullies through the street, Juan hides him in his crackhouse and saves his life. However, there is also a palpable difference between the scenes. Score: 4.3/5 (65 votes) . His music is still popular today, and many people want to know how to pronounce his name correctly.The German composer's name is actually pronounced "bay-TOH-ven", with the emphasis on the first syllable. The ensemble performance of three actors in three separate acts: Little, Chiron, and Black, showcases the painful struggle of identity and homosexuality of one young black boy growing up in Miami, Florida (side note: Ill mostly be addressing Chiron by his actual name instead of by his two nicknames; Little and Black). And because of this sort of awards tour, and us getting to share the film so much with people, hes back with me so I get to think about him., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. This can be easily verified by measuring a cup of water in a liquid measuring cup and pouring it into a one-cup dry measuring cup: they take up the same amount of space. The film follows him as a child, as a teenager and eventually as an adult. With this childhood as a foundation, Chiron may have a predetermined path in life, one that will only be magnified in terms of its problems when he reaches his difficult teen years when peer pressure affects what he and many of his peers do, unless he follows Juan's advice of truly making his own decisions for himself. That is when the two of them form a strong bond. This film is told through three different points in the protagonist's life. In a bid to protect his dream of love, Chiron shows up at school one day and, wordlessly, breaks a chair over Terrels back. When we meet Chiron here, we realize that he's grown into a high school-age young man, yet is still haunted by the issues that plagued him as a little boy: his sexuality and his relationship to his mother. Chiron admits he's smoked all kinds of things his mother leaves around the house. How Did Richard Fritz Simmons From Harlem Die? As Juan squires his fatherless friend about, we cant help thinking, Will he abuse him? After coursing through three disillusioned chapters in the life of our young main character, Chiron, the movie poses a question: Will he embrace the truth of his sexuality, or will the homophobia that taunts him continue to dictate his well-being? But, at the end of every outing, Teresa and Juan show their respect by returning Chiron home. As the two of them argue about Chiron's upbringing, he berates her for taking the crack he gave her and for neglecting her son while she rebukes him for selling them to her in the first place and for criticizing her on how she's raising Chiron without him taking responsibility for raising Chiron himself. Jenkins keeps the fear but not the melodrama in his film. Juan may not have had the chance to live a life without worries as Kevin was able to discover, but Id like to think that Chiron can now live freely and stay afloat for the remainder of his life because of Juans lasting legacy. In the third and final act of the movie, Chiron is grown and out of jail. Did I ever imagine, during my anxious, closeted childhood, that Id live long enough to see a movie like Moonlight, Barry Jenkinss brilliant, achingly alive new work about black queerness? Juan follows, entering through a blasted-out window, a symbol, perhaps, of the ruin left by the riots. ***Better Quality***Music: Barbara Lewis -- Hello Stranger (1963)Movie : Moonlight (2016) What Really Happened To This Rapper? As we watch, another movie plays in our minds, real-life footage of the many forms of damage done to black men, which can sometimes lead them to turn that hateful madness on their own kind, passing on the poison that was their inheritance. The first time they made out with Kevin, it was also at the beach. This causes Chiron to retaliate the next day by hitting Terrel over the back of his head with a chair during class. Juan, his mouth fixed in a poutsometimes he sucks on his tongue, as if it were a pacifierdoesnt take his eyes off the street. A liquid cup and a solid cup are exactly the same size. Theyre unique because theyre actual people. I felt like for the character to accelerate to anything beyond just allowing intimacy would be false for Chiron or Blacks development at that point. Kevin invites Chiron to meet up at the diner he works at to catch up. He is first introduced having a conversation with one of his customers. After all these years, three periods define a vulnerable young adult Chiron who, above all, is still struggling with complex pent-up emotions. You blue, that's what I'm gon' call you. When Tarell originally wrote the piece, it was about him trying to honor the memory of that guy. For his portrayal of Juan, Mahershala Ali also became the first Muslin actor to win an Oscar. This gesture is one of many that Jenkins, who, like McCraney, was raised in Liberty City, understands from the inside out. The community I feel like, despite the fact that we were all struggling and everybody had somebody in their family that was going through what our mothers were going through, there was somewhere you could go where you would not getturned away. Chiron defiantly continues to get up after each punch until he is knocked out. How Did Jack Twist Die? Moonlight was the former leader of the Sisters. And I wanted the audience to feel what its like to have that person snatched out. Maybe Juan is looking at his past while the boy looks up at a future he didnt know he could have. Directors: Barry Jenkins Writer: Barry Jenkins Cast: Trevante Rhodes as Chiron / "Black" Just because someone else saw Juan as one way, under one particular light, it did not mean Juan identified with the way others perceived him. Juans car was an icy blue. Juan feels guilty for being responsible for the drugs that have continuously affected Chirons mother negatively. Even though I think theres very few people in general that can specially connect to Chirons experience, I think in some way all of have been the other, the person on the outside, maybe not persecuted to the degree that this young man is, but I think we all want to be loved and embraced and need connection and support and family and mentorship. Instead of going to Teresa's, Chiron takes several trains and buses to the beach, where Kevin approaches and sits down next to him; apparently, this is Kevin's smoking spot. Poor sleep, sedentary activities, and eating too many processed or sugary foods are just some of the habits that may increase your risk of weight gain. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. When the main protagonist, Chiron, is chased by bullies through the street, Juan hides him in his crackhouse and saves his life. What is the current 200m sprint world record? Because when youre making a film, its a different thing to get these things up and have actors bring life into them.