Moonlight (2016)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
The film presents three stages in the life of the main character: his childhood, adolescence, and early adult life.
The story
In Liberty City, Miami, a young boy named Little finds refuge with a local drug dealer named Juan who becomes a mentor figure. The narrative follows the protagonist through three distinct stages of his life: as a child, a teenager, and an adult. As he grows, he navigates the complexities of his identity as a Black man and the challenges of his sexuality while dealing with a difficult upbringing and the influence of those around him. The story explores his journey toward self-realization amidst the pressures of his environment and the search for connection in a world that often demands he hide his true self.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film follows Chiron through three stages of his life. As 'Little' in Miami, he is mentored by Juan, a drug dealer who teaches him about life while his mother, Paula, struggles with addiction. As a teenager, Chiron faces bullying and a complicated relationship with his friend Kevin, eventually leading to a physical confrontation and his arrest. Years later, as an adult known as 'Black,' he lives in Atlanta as a drug dealer. He reconciles with his mother and eventually travels to Miami to reunite with Kevin. The film concludes with a poignant moment of reflection as Chiron remembers his past, specifically a moment on a beach in the moonlight, highlighting the internal conflict between his public persona and his private identity.
- First release year
- 2016
- Runtime (minutes)
- 111
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Barry Jenkins
- Writers
- Barry Jenkins · writer; Tarell Alvin McCraney · story
- Cast and characters
- Trevante Rhodes · Adult Chiron / "Black"; André Holland · Adult Kevin; Janelle Monáe · Teresa; Ashton Sanders · Teen Chiron; Jharrel Jerome · Teen Kevin; Naomie Harris · Paula; Mahershala Ali · Juan; Alex Hibbert · Child Chiron / "Little"
- Genres
- drama; coming-of-age
- Themes
- identity; masculinity; motherhood; sexuality; race
- Tone and mood
- poetic; intimate
- Premise and plot tags
- LGBTQ+; coming-of-age; multi-generational
- Source material / true-story basis
- In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue
- Reception
- The film received universal acclaim for its direction, cinematography, and performances, and was cited as one of the best films of the 2010s.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 98% · scale: percentage · review count: 402; Metacritic · score: 99 · scale: 100 · review count: 53
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · Win; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actor · Win; Academy Award · Best Adapted Screenplay · Win; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Drama · Win
- Production trivia
- It was the first LGBTQ-themed mass-marketed feature film with an all-black cast.; Joi McMillon became the first black woman to be nominated for an Editing Oscar.; Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim to win an acting Oscar.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…