The first time I watched Moonlight, I was caught off guard by its unconventional but beautiful way of telling the story about Chiron, its main character. This movie essay accurately describes the film as “a visual poem about how his inner self is mismatched with his outer life.”
Structure, strategic use of camera, sound, music and symbols contribute to the story’s authenticity. The technical choices are purposeful and intentional, adapting them to each individual character and the collective relationships – all with the purpose of revealing Chiron’s inner life.
Examples this video clip touches on are mismatched sound and visuals, smooth pans vs. shaky handheld shots, placing the audience/camera between the dialoguing characters, shots from behind or the use of classical music in opposition to Chiron’s inner life.
This is an extremely beneficial movie to learn from as film school students or as normal individuals, be it for technical aspects or identification with the characters’ journey through life.
