Director Barry Jenkins on Creating Empathy Through His Film 'Moonlight'

We sat down with Barry Jenkins to talk about his lyrical new film "Moonlight." The coming-of-age drama follows a boy named Chiron as he grapples with his identity and sexuality, and navigates life in a rough neighborhood in Miami.
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[@jestmunsta8288]

To Barry Jenkins: Thank you for making this movie!

[@sebastianwalls7001]

Just saw this film last night and it moved me to my core. The continuity held throughout the film by the main character was unbelievable-being that he was played by three different people-each playing a different stage of his life. Also-as a straight man, I was almost in tears in "little's" kiss scene at the beach. Being that he finally decided to assume who he was-even if for a moment, and seeing some of that weight off his back. Which comes to show the level of empathy that these actors could evoke through their masterful performance. I even felt compassion for the mom, which could've only been possible by portraying the human condition in all of its complexity. All that nuance, all that poetry, all that raw emotion-bravo! Ya'll took it to a whole other level. Thank you!

[@semplicementenadia]

sebastian walls 🙌🏾

[@Maxblind20]

This guy is going to be huge 5-10 years from now. He's got everything going for him, he's intelligent, well-spoken and has a flair to him. My hats off to you Mr.Jenkins. Cannot wait see your future endeavors.

[@dealmaster2]

I'm a straight black man, and i loved this film, the acting ,score, visuals are great.

[@etelrosenberg5141]

This was one of the best movies I've ever seen. Story telling with depth and insight. Filled with truth and beauty and love and sadness. Art that draws on all the best aspects of humanity to express the good and bad in ourselves in a very deep and meaningful way.

[@Capgungoesbang]

The trailer is powerful alone, every time it comes up on an ad for a video I watch it. I can't wait to se this movie, you can tell it really means something even without his wonderful explanation.

[@GC5295]

The acting was superb. Emotional story. Loved it.

[@bluetextbooks]

I can listen to Barry speak all day. He is going to become a legendary director.

[@MistahRapsey]

love the part about chopped and screwed chamber orchestra music.

[@jaybootidawg5167]

the director seems very knowledgeable of his craft. definitely will look a more of his projects.

[@RochellBarbara4690]

This movie will leave you speechless

[@Voeris1]

I like how nonchalantly he says "so that was part of it" lol. That's amazing, genius.

[@michaeldoyle6702]

Great interview. Saw the movie last night. Won't forget the experience.

[@futuropasado]

Barry Jenkins has a kind of rare poetic view in today's cinema... Very few directors can evoke such intimate beauty on screen. Moonlight is a masterpiece. Cheers from Spain.

[@sleekcartim]

finally saw it....One survivor to another... I gotta say it wrecked me, took me to places i didnt expect i would relate to but found out i am so much like him resulting in the same kinda person he turned out to be. when he said in this interview many ppl would find one or two universal things to relate to in this film is what i expected, turned out there was a lot more. This film is similiar to "Latter days" (movie) in the way it makes you feel but coming from a different reality. I hope this all comes as high praise cuz you guys deserve it. P.S. I dont know how that magic happens but All 3 of the actors playing him were him, i never for a moment thought otherwise.

[@lightuponlight6727]

Powerful powerful film. Bravo to Barry and the ensemble .... pure art... black ... beautiful... genius.

[@GailKent]

LOVED this film. So sensitively done.

[@TrevorKingKwong]

wtf seriously just cried watching just the trailer like two years after watching Moonlight once in my life. such an amazing movie.

[@soysaucesnag696]

Trevor Ding-Jun Kwong man I’m sure I cried the first time it came out, but I can’t recall. However this movie is a real movie that we need, I watched love Simon and it was complete trash man. I was like nah I gotta watch a real one.

[@Rocketscienceshorts]

what a gem.. i love the way barry shakes his hand at the end, he's like i got you and your story. you can see the empathy he has for the story, not to mention the excitement

[@donmcclain5102]

just want to say thank you for keeping it as real as possible

[@anikawhite1819]

Great interview! Can't wait to see this film.

[@MrIzador]

The movie is nationwide now, GOOO SEE IT! INCREDIBLE!😌🙌🏾

[@zippledddddddddddddd]

This guy is being interviewed because he just made a beautiful film but most of the comments here are concerned with vice becoming too politically correct. No wonder trump is going to be the president.

[@alleyway]

Honeslty though, its politically incorrect because stripping the candor from the public is the foundation in loss of integrity. It's a logical fallacy to preach open mindedness/ acceptance and require censorship of others to fit your preferences at the same time.

[@christopherpugmire2969]

Very true. Comments sections seem to bring out the worst in people.

[@christopherpugmire2969]

Saw this tonight. Beautiful intimate film. The cinematography is off the hook.

[@LiteratureDiva]

The movie, just as the trailer, leaves you stunned and sort of encapsulated in the world of the characters and their story. It opened my mind, allowing the judgment to flee and empathy to embrace.

[@CaapriceTube1]

He's such a great director, every shot and the way he captured the mood of the settings was amazing. Very well spoken too!!! YOU DESERVED THAT OSCAR MR.JENKINS!!!! Congrats!!!👏🏾 #blackboyjoy

[@GrotesqueHyydra]

Wish the movie was longer 😩👑👑

[@justinhall1996]

This dude knows what he talking about

[@philipzahn491]

Daaamn! Just watching that trailer again moves you!

[@dipmeingloss]

Barry Jenkins..💖. Moonlight Is Now One Of My Favorite Movies. I Watched It 4 Times Already. From The First Introduction Of The Movie I Fell In Love.💯 Moonlight Shined The Light On What We Experience In The Black Community As A Whole. We All Know A "Chiron Or Can Identify With "Chiron. Or Maybe We Are "Chiron". We Are The Products Of Are Environments.👌 But We Have The Choice To Choose Who We Wanna Be Not Letting Other's Define That Identity Or Personality For Us As Blacks. #EmotionallyPowerful.💓🌊. At Some Point You Gotta Decide For Yourself Who You're Going To Be, Can't let Nobody Make That Decision For You".-Juan.💙💯

[@kevinle5460]

Greatest trailer I've ever seen

[@RainmanCT]

7:47 so glad he was asked about this! I recognized the Aretha Song right off the bat. When it played the 2nd time in the diner, I was almost hoping he would use the Mos Def "Miss Fat Booty" that sampled it but that might have been a bit contrived. That scene when Kevin played "Hello Stranger" on the jukebox? Man that hit hard. Loved the music in this film and just plain loved this film.

[@BathingVape]

This movie is a classic.

[@buru44]

Incredibly inspiring, thank you Barry Jenkins.

[@brightsideone547]

This movie is all around is great .I love it 100% will be winner of any film award. money well spent .

[@RADFLIKINCRRQT13]

Genius! Can't wait to see more from him

[@folumb]

I've loved a lot of movies but no movie has made me more emotional than this one. I can't watch it with other people.

[@TheDriftingsmoke]

"Boyhood" + "In the hood" I'm gonna watch it

[@hoganholo99]

TheDriftingsmoke +Actually good!!!

[@TheDriftingsmoke]

Holo The Hogan Johnson Brokeblack Mountain

[@aishawf]

Saw this film today! It was fantastic- i might go see it again!

[@annexeng]

A wonderful film, it was great to listen to Barry and I though the interviewer did a fantastic job here. A pleasure to watch

[@willci]

I need to see this movie.

[@guerrillawarfare9869]

im a north miami native. im always interested in the movies shot down here

[@Jinan.]

The beautiful story and amazing acting aside, the camerawork and music in this movie really is next level

[@suvariboy]

Can't wait to see this film!

[@bdoradio7683]

Vice! I love these interesting videos, keep up with the good.. zZzZZZZZZZzzzzz

[@user-dx3mz7yp4v]

Hi friends I am from Russia. you have a good video

[@DonicaDuju]

and his name is Chiron- Now thats a name-

[@OriginalBlakwamun]

i know right? a name that is considered a actual minor planet. astrologically its symbolized as the "wounded healer"

[@DonicaDuju]

Blak Wamun yes- zactly what she said☝

[@lukaskasdan6628]

LOL!

[@91838072]

Chiron is the name of a Greek Centaur that had shit parents but later became teachers to Greek heroes such as arhilles and then die

Two words describe this amazing piece of cinema: "POWERFUL" and " PROFOUND! "

[@deadcowplant]

I want to watch this again

[@robertantonvlogs]

A wonderful film.

[@jlynn732]

just seen the film.. fantastic!

[@annathompson6810]

I'm late watching this and all I can say is..........OMG ....this movie was amazing

[@Mrchrister2]

why so many dislikes?

[@bookdream]

Homophobia and racism. Its the perfect storm for trolls and bigots. Also, we black men tend to be very sensitive about our perception of masculinity, so a lot of us don't like anything having to do with gay people.

[@herbsaint636]

amen

[@itsbuck8198]

Well Said

[@InternetMoneyPE]

Because it seems like no one wants to criticize the movie, which lacks a plot, completely erases an essential character out of nowhere (drug dealer), has spotty acting, unnatural dialogue etc. The film is powerful from an artsy point of view but as a movie it's not good. Stop calling people homophobic and racist for no reason. Trump is president because you want to attack people instead of having a productive conversation about real racism and classism.

[@MillieMaa]

damn. you have no idea what this movie is about. If you are gay and black or have loved ones who are you will know exactly what this film is about and why all the acting is so phenomenal. Juan (the drug dealer) DIED, did you not get that? What's so great about it is that what it DOESN'T show. Instead of the same old tired sh**t that we've seen on the wired, etc. and turns it all inside out. It is intimate, showing men being vulnerable without stupid sentimentality. It doesn't hit you over the head, you fill in the blanks.

[@andreaknight6411]

im going to see this tonight

[@monizdm]

This is more than sexual identity. it is about love. Love has little to do with sex.

[@chickensdontclap147]

Okay, so turning the black horizontal bars on the bottom and top of the screen into colourful distorted mirrors of the image is not only annoying, but profoundly disrespectful to the work of the filmmakers, especially in the case of a movie as visually precise as Moonlight.

[@ahahahahaja]

excellent film

[@IMarcMan]

Great!

[@danielfittipaldi3705]

This guy is going places, I can tell you that

[@robertsmith2465]

Saw this movie last night in "Bangkok", it was EXCELLENT...

[@s_till]

does anyone know how to spell the film makers name he mentions as his favorite? claire something? I want to look her up, much appreciated!! (at about 8:55)

[@13Moviemansam]

Claire Denis www.imdb.com/name/nm0219136/

[@s_till]

dude thank u so much!!

[@StevExMachina]

This movie was great. 9/10 easy

[@ariellerobinson4]

Moonlight is a masterpiece

[@whoisit203]

The best film I've ever watched

[@guabito1740]

Two thumbs up!

[@parraphrase]

The problem with this and other movies that help us to empathize with those who are different is that they often fail to differentiate between behavior and the people who practice them. Why is a person forced to accept another's behavioral choices to be seen as accepting of the person? You don't have to empathize with my lifestyle choices for me to believe that you empathize with me as a human being. It's the same with homosexuality. The practice is disordered and out of harmony with the natural ideal. I didn't determine this, nature did. So now I hate homosexuals? Not really. I love them irrespective of their lifestyle choice but that doesn't mean i agree with their choice. Sodomitical relationships are not healthy or consistent with the purpose of our design. Design infers purpose but homosexuality ignores that and makes urges supreme. People are welcome to do what they want but I'm not obligated to agree that it's good or acceptable behavior. Even if it's unpopular and even if I get mixed up with people who do hate homosexual men and women. Of course it all comes down to what you believe the ultimate purpose of sex is. If it's the person pleasure of those practicing it then really there are no lines that should divide appropriate and inappropriate sex acts. But if, on the other hand the ultimate purpose of sex is the production of life then there are guidelines that can and should be drawn. I take the later position because I believe it right not because i want it to be right because i hate people who chose differently than I.

[@noon310]

An excellent movie that I will probably watch again. No offense to LGBT but I couldn't handle the scenes that involved the two guys, but the scenes were pretty soft which made me feel ok with continuing to watch the movie. I believe that the world needs not to act like being gay was just created and accept the fact that people will be people and we should love each other regardless.

[@juywilliams6622]

Good movie I didn't care for the ending

[@osioda1915]

So, Barry, yo.....I'm ready to see your movie and all. Appreciate your art-activism and whatever. You just gotta know....I'm sorry about the Barry thing----that's a tough name to have. If it helps, you don't even look like a Barry to me; Barry's like the floppy dude that slices meat at the grocery store. Great interview, claps.

[@omartyre]

Why are they sitting so close to each other?

[@enricovankeeken1624]

*ashton sanders - in rEAl life though - is a MONSTER ...having a dad - rodney - who´s behavior on social media is totally irresponsible*

[@leetube102457]

Great

[@Vendetta0005]

Did he just call one of the greatest composers in history "chopin" as in chopping without the "g". XDXDXD

[@Braedensground]

He said ' chopped and screwed' as in the way they slow down the tempo of the original music.

[@lionofthebluevale7170]

"wu Wuz kangz" the interview

[@p4nd0rius]

114

[@wr36gc]

When you think back to Netflix hyping power an awful remake of an awful movie (bright) during BLM when this movie exists

[@Draskiller]

[@dn2ze]

More stuff on Black people..for once I would like to see something on The Natives or Native culture and how the world look at Natives in America....

[@mefilmmaking]

How about you create it.

[@whitnelorde]

dante bigguy black people make content bc we want to see ourselves in the media and be in control of our own narrative. you can do the same. why comment on our shit like it's our fault you don't have visibility??

[@dn2ze]

Whitne Lorde yeah right...Look at Standing Rock...more then 100 years ago since you last saw that Many natives Tribes together..take a Page from Canada and teach people about Native Culture and Native people and fix the broken treaties if they can right the wrongs with the Blacks on Slavery. why not fix the broken treaties?? that's a start..Canada kept the Treaties with the Natives. I am Denesuline and My Culture and Language is similar to the Navajo and Apache..because we use to be the Same Tribe. we Denesuline say "Dene" for Short and Navajo go by " Dine" both mean the same thing too " the people" this is Native history that you people need to understand and know which gets overshadow by Slavery stuff..should read about residential schools where they tried to kill the Native in you and the last school they closed down was in 1994..what year did Slavery ended again?? In America the pain and suffering never stop for the Natives..plus Blacks get bend out of shape over the N-word but people calling us Natives redskin is ok?? no one listens to the Natives even if they say the term "redskin" means a Native scalp that they paid for...now tell me how is that honouring the Natives by having a team name after that??

[@whitnelorde]

dante bigguy i know about residential schools, i am a social work student and i study both current and past indiscretions against AI/AN people and i know about the racist team names. i am from Cleveland and i go to the opening day protest of the logo and name of our baseball team, the Indians. i confront mostly WHITE PEOPLE who wear this heinous caricature of indigenous people but again, none of that has ANYTHING to do with this film which is about two gay black men. this film is not historical and is not about slavery. and you know what your broken treaties and slavery have in common? they are caused by white people and white people continue to benefit from them today. you think the n word is the only thing black people have to do deal with? redlining, mass incarceration, police brutality, war on drugs... again all caused by the American government which upholds white supremacy. keep your eye on who your real enemy is instead of trying to derail black people. do you go on 80% of all other videos and comment "oh! something else about white people!" i doubt it.

[@theparadigmoracle]

dante bigguy I agree with you Native Americans do need more visibility. That being said it is unhelpful to all parties when you throw people working for visibility under the bus. You may not have intended it to come out like that, but it did. We can get more done working together as opposed to working apart. Be the change you want to see but please be a bit more respectful when others are trying to do the same. We all equally deserve acknowledgement.

[@nawfalshammari4579]

first

[@scottwright7276]

I'm playing gta5 while at watching this😶

[@user-dx3mz7yp4v]

I also love to play GTA 5 only in Russia

[@contambrah]

what does russia have to do with gta 5? region lock?

[@lsd3842]

Only 8 k views rip

[@Floki_631]

#savetheblacks

[@carlf.v.iversen154]

first like m8

[@richardv4211]

Pansergrisen wot m8

[@dyddnjs47]

Bugatti

[@paulmartin2938]

second bitches

[@user-wv8zr7zi1s]

#19 bitches

[@HT.100]

vice is literally sjw central now. sad times

[@whitnelorde]

HT *shows something other than a white male stoner* omg sjw!!

[@whitnelorde]

HT so they're sjw bc they have non white non-christian/atheist people in their media. got it.

[@filthyhuman3018]

+HT ignorant person commenting on Vice as usual.

[@HT.100]

Whitne Lorde they are sjw because they keep promoting this shit. Look at me, I'm a black gay man, so special, unique and persecuted. Oh the horror. No one gives a fuck. Say something interesting.

[@HT.100]

FilthyHuman One of my mistakes replying to me.

[@mauriciocalasich]

remember when vice wasn't super fucking boring?

[@HT.100]

film's trailer also looks boring

[@user-dx3mz7yp4v]

mine is not bad

[@sirstabulous]

thumbs down

[@this-is-my-name]

apparently they don't have taste. those clothes sucks

[@Euro-H.E.V.]

Frazer They're called hipsters. Hahahaha! 😂😂😂

[@oldschoollovin643]

Deep Movie ...Thanks Barry Jenkins ...You need to write and do a movie with Lee Daniels and Tyler Perry bruh ...real talk

[@sonya7025]

No one here will watch Moonlight after they see this video. Thumb up if you agree.

[@ShadowindLUKE]

L

[@sosam2000]

0 thumbs up bitch

[@bahama_thomas]

gayness

[@Voeris1]

so scurry

[@soysaucesnag696]

Wow good one, how long did it take you to think of that.

[@paulmartin2938]

first