3. Moonlight Wins Best Picture at the Oscars
An introspective lens into the maturation of a young Black man is an uncharted narrative that had yet to be thoroughly examined in mainstream American cinema until the silver – lining adaptation of 2016 American coming – of – age drama film written and directed by Barry Jenkins. The story follows a young man named Chiron through a sequence of three pivotal stages in his life: his youth, adolescence and early Adult life as he explores his sexuality and struggles with domestic instability and physical/emotional abuse. With Jenkins taking a dive into new waters, expectations for winning Best Picture were beyond reach. Moreover, the uniqueness, outstanding cast and overall novelty of the film is what stirred such a resounding buzz, placing it at the forefront of the 2017 Academy Awards. Along with its title of Best Picture, it was nominated for five additional awards: “Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role,” “Academy Award for Best Director,” “Academy Award for Best Original Music Screen Play”, “Academy Award for Best Cinematography” & “Academy Award for Best Film Editing.” Due to Moonlight’s outstanding exhibition of Black Excellence, it’s status as #3 on my list may not do it the proper justice. Nevertheless, it’s still a remarkable staple within American film of the 21st century, making its glory moment one of the best this year has to offer in popular culture.
