Murmures
In ‘Moonlight,’ Black Is the Warmest Color
janvier 2017 | Sortie de film, livre, album… | Cinéma/TV | États-Unis
Source : Vague Visages
© DR
Français
By Jaylan Salah Salman
In Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight, deconstructionism of the masculine identity has gone beyond revolutionary, to the extent of creating a « gaze » unlike any other seen in cinema. We have the queer gaze, the hetero-male gaze and the female gaze, but to have a black queer gaze – that not only deconstructs identity, African-American stereotypes and typical portrayals of gay men on the screen in general – we have a winner in terms of cinematography, subject matter and narrative control.
When dealing with masculinity on the big screen, I have not seen such sensitivity and precision as depicted in Moonlight, except maybe in the films of Xavier Dolan, a Canadian filmmaker that has redefined and restructured male characters in cinema. As a director, Jenkins went further than any other straight filmmaker in capturing the sincerest, most intimate struggles a gay, black man faces in an environment hostile to his own existence. Chiron, played masterfully in three stages by Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes, represents a freak amongst an unempowered group of individuals; a brave and brief commentary on the black experience. In one scene, adult Kevin (André Holland) tells Chiron that he was imprisoned for the « same stupid shit we always get sent up for, » and though it might seem forced for the viewer, Holland’s sincere and intense phrasing makes it apparent how difficult the characters’ lives have been. Bits and snippets of ghetto commentary transform Moonlight from a simple, timeless love story into one that has social, and even political, significance.
READ MORE:
https://vaguevisages.com/2017/01/24/in-moonlight-black-is-the-warmest-color/
When dealing with masculinity on the big screen, I have not seen such sensitivity and precision as depicted in Moonlight, except maybe in the films of Xavier Dolan, a Canadian filmmaker that has redefined and restructured male characters in cinema. As a director, Jenkins went further than any other straight filmmaker in capturing the sincerest, most intimate struggles a gay, black man faces in an environment hostile to his own existence. Chiron, played masterfully in three stages by Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes, represents a freak amongst an unempowered group of individuals; a brave and brief commentary on the black experience. In one scene, adult Kevin (André Holland) tells Chiron that he was imprisoned for the « same stupid shit we always get sent up for, » and though it might seem forced for the viewer, Holland’s sincere and intense phrasing makes it apparent how difficult the characters’ lives have been. Bits and snippets of ghetto commentary transform Moonlight from a simple, timeless love story into one that has social, and even political, significance.
READ MORE:
https://vaguevisages.com/2017/01/24/in-moonlight-black-is-the-warmest-color/
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