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Kevin is Chiron's only real young friend, and this shallow depth of field shot in [almost] extreme close up puts our focus on Chiron's ability to be his true self as he shows sensitivity and care to Kevin's wound, even with his hands. Jenkins also shows it from Chiron's p.o.v. with the very close-up variation of an over-the-shoulder shot, set against the toughening up of him Kevin wants to help with.

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Chiron and Kevin are having a beautiful moment as they reunite for the first time since high school. This two shot establishes that Kevin is still Chiron's close friend, even after years of no contact. The familiarity of childhood friends has kept that bond strong. However, the medium shot expresses that there exists some distance between the two. Namely, that Chiron is trapping (something Kevin doesn't know at this point in the film). On top of that, this shot is reminiscent of the first period of Chiron's life when he is seated eating diner with Juan. The two moments taken together create continuity in Chiron's life.

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Can we talk about the use of a close-up shot following Chiron's beating? What insight does the viewer gain about the protagonist?

This close-up shot of Chiron depicts a critical moment of change. The viewer acts as the mirror Chiron is looking into, which reflects his mangled face and shame. Here, Jenkins uses numb facial expression and key light to express Chiron's willingness to change. Although tattered, Chiron's face is glowing from his bathroom light, signifying something greater beyond what's visible on the surface. This close-up, decorated with a blend of emotions, gives the reader a glimpse into Chiron's new identity.

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Can we talk about identity and self-reflection in Moonlight?

In the shot above, Jenkins uses an over-the-shoulder perspective to create an intimate, immersive experience from Chiron's point of view. By positioning us behind Chiron, Jenkins allows us to sense his quiet observation of Kevin, highlighting the tension. Here, Kevin is shown in a moment of reflection, perhaps in a vulnerable state, as the shallow depth of field isolates him from his surroundings. This visual separation symbolizes moments when he, too, grapples with his identity, relationships, and internal struggles. Toward the end of the film, we see how Black and Kevin struggle to express their true feelings bound by the expectations and experiences that have shaped them. How does this shot and more tie to the themes of identity and self-reflection in the film?

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Can we talk about the use of 3/4 shot combined with the pink backlight? What does this show about Chiron's mother's character and her relationship with Chiron?

This 3/4 shot, illuminated by a harsh pink backlight highlights a moment of tension between Chiron and his mother. The color pink is often associated with love and warmth, but here, it feels corrupted—reflecting the complicated, tainted relationship Chiron has with his mother.

The 3/4 shot illuminates the internal conflict within his mother, as she struggles with addiction. This scene highlights the point from which she is consumed by the guilt of failing her son, but instead of addressing it, she lashes out; making this scene a full embodiment of her shame.

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How does the framing and composition in this shot—placing Juan slightly higher than Chiron and centering them in the open, expansive ocean—enhance the themes of mentorship, vulnerability, and rebirth in Moonlight? How does the cinematography capture the intimacy of their bond and how does the choice to film in natural light emphasize the scene’s raw, almost spiritual quality? How do these elements work together to make this moment feel both grounding and freeing for Chiron?

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Can we talk about the use of the blue lighting throughout the film on black skin?

Throughout Moonlight, we see blue lighting reflecting on black skin repeatedly after Juan tells his story about "black boys look blue in the moonlight." This medium shot of the children playing under the moonlight in the ocean is the example that stood out the most to me. We see other moments where the blue lighting is hitting Chiron, like when he lifts his head from the sink as an adult and his skin looks blue. As these kids are playing and having fun, Chiron is driving back to Miami to see Kevin. Chiron swimming in that exact ocean is one of his earliest and best memories he has. It shows the young black kids shining blue under the moon. Just like Chiron used to do and just like Juan used to do. Just like all black children/people do. This scene connects Chiron back to Miami and back to his childhood as he's going back home for the first time in years.

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Shots of Chiron and Paula frequently use an upper angle and over the shoulder framing to emphasize the flipped/improper relationship dynamic between them. The framing in these 2 shots makes it clear that Chiron is looking down on his mother subconsciously and that Chiron doesn't have a parental figure to look up to. Even in the scene when Paula is just sleeping peacefully (not crazy and in withdrawal like in the second scene), the camera is framed so it is clear Chiron is still looking down on her and has to act like the parent in this scene. I think the use of the over the shoulder shot reminds the audience to balance feelings of empathy for Paula and disdain towards her lack of parenting for Chiron. The presence of Chiron's shoulder in the frame reminds us that her actions and lack of proper parenting will forever have an impact on her son, and that responsibility is something she will forever be attached to, even when she is struggling independently.

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In this scene we see a moment of reconnection between kevin and chiron for the first time in what seems to be since high school. I found most interesting when Kevin goes grandmas rules you eat you talk, because it shows to the viewer that kevin clearly wants to know what’s going on Chirons life while Chiron shows tons of hesitance to open up. This shot showing Kevin smiling while showing Chiron as more reserved sort of puts the script to the image to connect the writers imagination.

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....how powerful this close-up shot of Chiron is and how the use of framing and is used to show the emotional intensity in this scene. By making the background blurry, it makes the audience only focus on the emotions that are capture on his face. The audience can sense the weight of his unspoken emotions and is an example of how many Black men, struggles to express their emotions in a world that discourages vulnerability.

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This shot shows the power of focusing. The camera work focusess to make sure the viewer is watching his face rather then his surroundings. Chiron is obviously upset about getting bullied for going to see Theresa.

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The use of an eye-level shot in this scene helps the viewer feel as if they are sitting at the table with Terrel and Kevin, focusing on their conversation while everything else in the background is blurred. This adds to the intensity of the moment as Kevin doesn't realize what he's getting himself into. Not only that but it is interesting that Terrel comments on the juice box Kevin is drinking out of, claiming that it will kill him which is pretty ironic considering the violence and drug use in the movie which has more of a dangerous effect than drinking a juice box.

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In this scene Paula yells at Chiron after buying drugs from Juan, this shot directly following her silent yell as she walks away. They use a medium/full shot, centering Paula and drawing clear attention to her while also making space between her and the audience. Compared to the dueling shot of Chiron, we feel much more separated from Paula visually as she is in the ray of pink/red light, contrasted with the green/gray walls, closing her in and dividing her from her surroundings. Chiron's color pallet blends more with his background, and combined with a closer medium shot, this makes us feel much more aligned with him in this scene. We are also at relatively the same level as him when looking at his mom, making the scene more personal/placing us in his place. Having Paula bathed in the pink light reflects the color symbolism we see throughout the movie, pink representing anger and struggle here. Usually in art, pink is used to represent femininity, in this case showing Paula's maternal presence in Chiron's life. At the end of the scene, Paula turns and walks into the door, Chiron walking the other way. She shuts the door, and we see the light shut out in the hallway, showing her declining maternal presence in Chiron's life.

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The final scene in the movie-- a medium shot with a (lower) depth of field, focusing on a young Chiron facing the ocean. This scene follows Chiron's reunification with Kevin and by closing the movie with this scene, Jenkins closes the story of self-discovery for young Chiron. He looks back a second later, breaking the fourth wall almost acknowledging the fact that viewers just witnessed the journey he'd go on.

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The scene where Chiron goes to the beach with Juan.

Using a close shot of Chiron, the audience is forced to observe his reactions and his relationship with the water. By having the camera submerged in the water, the audience is encouraged to weigh the perspective of Chiron and of the water equally, connecting to the idea of "becoming" water that is repeated throughout the movie.

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Can we talk about how much the passage of time and growth plays a role in Moonlight? Here is a closeup of Chiron dipping his face into a sink of ice water first thing in the morning. What stands out the most in this closeup framing is his muscular back. It's a clear depicter that this is a new version of Chiron physically. It alludes back to the shot at 1:04 which also shows him icing his face. In that frame however, Chiron is scrawny and his face is beaten. To me, the lighting also plays a part in both of these scenes. The first scene is a lot brighter than the second scene. To me this shows a sort of loss of innocence for Chiron after he attacks Terrel.

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This is a medium close-up shot and the shoulder and background are both blurred pulling the viewer's attention towards young Chiron. Jenkins is capturing Chiron's facial expression in a moment where Juan is trying to teach him an important lesson. Juan starts talking about this older lady who says "in moonlight black boys look blue" and he says how she nicknamed him "blue". The point of Juan's story wasn't about a nickname he had when he was younger, it was to show Chiron that you have to create your own identity and nobody can make one for you. By putting Juan's face just above the camera we can focus on Chiron's passive but curious expression. He is not sure what all of it means yet, but he is still emotionally engaged. The shot makes the scene very intimate and is foreshadowing for the rest of the movie.

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This establishing shot of Chiron. It starts out as a medium eye-level shot and although he's in the center of the shot, he isn't the main subject. The camera slowly pulls away from him as he gets lost in a sea of people. This shot is so effective at communicating to the viewer Chiron's situation in high school: alone and ignored (beside a couple bullies who torment him). Since this is one of the first times is seeing him after a time skip, it establishes how little progress Chiron has made in making friends or standing up for himself after so much time.

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In this scene Paula is trying to get Juan to give her more coke to fuel her addiction while Juan is refusing her request because she is a mother. Here the director chooses to use a close up shot of Paula's face in order to convey her her anger towards Juan and her general hopelessness as her addiction as left her a shell of her former self. Additionally the use of this shot also forges a personal connection between Paula's struggles and the audience as they are able to look her dead in the eyes. The director also makes use of an over the shoulder shot in order to make the audience feel like they are in the scene watching the events between Paula and Juan in real time.         

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This close-up shot in the scene between Chiron and his mom conveys the tension between the two. Paula's close-up shot evokes a sense of discomfort for the viewer as her eyes stare directly into the camera. This gives us a glimpse into what Chiron is feeling at this moment as he apprehensively looks his mom up and down. The camera technique reveals how Chiron is looking at Paula almost in search of her maternal qualities, but is instead met with her drug abuse problems and failure to be a good role model. The close-ups build the tension before the moment when Paula takes Chiron's money.

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This close-up, shallow depth of field shot portrays Paula's ever so scattered yet centrally focused state of mind. Her addiction makes the world seem blurry and she loses sight of what is most important to her, her son. On the other hand, Chiron is the only thing she's focused on and her addiction is getting in the way of her love for her son. We see her struggle and though she seems cruel and strung out, little glimpses of what really matters to her creep through throughout the film.

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Can we talk about the physical abuse Chiron endures as a result of his sexuality? Does this image serve as a symbolic embodiment of his internal pains as a young gay man expressed through his physical condition? The director's use of a canted angle conveys a sense of distortion, engrossing the viewer in his hardships and the intense emotional disconnection Chiron feels from his community and society. By focusing on his facial features, cuts, and expressions through a close-up, we can almost physically see his pain, not just as a homosexual man but as a lost and isolated individual.

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Can we talk about the shallow depth of field used in this scene? Kevin's face is in focus, yet the back of Chiron's head and the background are both blurred--singling out Kevin as the "man of the hour"--or of the frame. This scene occurs as Kevin is opening up about his life's happenings to a reticent Chiron. The clarity of Kevin's face parallels his honesty--and the blur of Chiron reveals the past that haunts him and about which he is reluctant to share more information.

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Can we talk about loyalty in this film?

The medium close-up shot of Paula where she forces Chiron to give up his money is test of his loyalty. This shot captures part of Paula's body language, which suggests how desperate she is in this moment for money/drugs. She is leaning into the camera and toward Chiron, exuding an overbearing and forceful presence. The film immediately establishes that Juan and Teresa are more prominent and stable parental figures than Paula. Moonlight investigates this idea of a chosen family (Juan and Teresa) and a biological family. Although she is not a present mother and acts selfishly, Paula expects Chiron to give up everything for her. She constantly criticizes Teresa in this scene and reminds Chiron that she is not his blood nor kin to test his loyalty.

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The scene encapsulates Chiron's feelings of isolation. Although he gets bullied for seeing Theresa I feel the real reason he is upset is how distant he is from his family and peers. He longs to be with someone who loves and accepts him for who he is. Leading him to find comfort in Theresa and Juan. The shot uses a lower angle shot from a distance. The use of key lighting to illuminate the right side of his face to showcase his expectancy of the coming train can be inferred to his desire to leave his life at any given opportunity.

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The shot shows the pivotal scene that unfolds in the diner kitchen, where Kevin, cooks a meal for Chiron, symbolizing intimacy and care. Shot in slow motion, the scene departs from realism to emphasize a rare moment of tenderness in Chiron’s life. Barry Jenkins uses mise-en-scène (through lighting, sound, and framing) to create a safe, intimate atmosphere. This act of cooking for Chiron conveys a deep, unspoken connection between the two men and allows Chiron to explore vulnerability. The meal becomes more than sustenance; it represents acceptance, love, and the possibility of Chiron embracing his true identity.

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Can we talk about Chiron's relationship with his mother and his realization right before we with to his fight at school? In the scene Chiron's mother desperately harasses her son more drug money, which was the scene after him and Kevin had gotten Intimate. I think the shallow depth in this screenshot, along with Chiron's leaning back position, allows viewers to see Chiron's realization that he was alone, and maybe he was better off that way. It also tells the story that it takes time for people to change, sometimes people don't, but we can relate that the Kevins actions at school in the scene after which prove the point that people can either stay the same for the worst or change for the worst.

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Can we talk about how Kevin was boasting his intercourse with a woman?

In this shot, we see an over the shoulder medium close-up shot of Kevin when he's telling Chiron that he knows that he (Chiron) can keep a secret. What do we think this choice of a shot conveys about Kevin's action of boasting intercourse with a female? Possibly, this serves as leway into Kevin's true intentions with Chiron. In this scene, the angle of the shot has hardly any Chiron in it, though displaying most of Kevin. Does the shot convey that Kevin is taking the initiative in hinting towards intimate relations? Kevin is seen taking most authority in this scene, hence, the over the shoulder shot, minimizing Chiron's visibility on the screen, paired with the medium close shot of Kevin could convey how Kevin is taking control of the situation and is seen displaying authority.

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Can we talk about family dyamics and their subversion?

The two shot works with warm lighting, soft music and conversation, and laughter to create a very stereotypical family dinner scene. However, this is not Chiron's family; he met these people meet hours ago. Despite that, when he is with his actual mother, darker, cooler toner are used in contrast to this shot, emphasizing the subversion of typical family dynamics and relationships and the comfort that Chiron feels with Juan and Teresa.

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Can we talk about the theme of responsibility, and the elastic role of parenthood in Chiron's life? This shot is a 3/4ths shot that highlights a juxtaposition between Juan and Paula. Their mutual disgruntlement with each others' roles in shaping Chiron's life are displayed through high contrast and dead-set staring.

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This close-up of Chiron is used at the point where Kevin realizes it is him who sat down at the counter. We freeze on the close-up for about three seconds while the sound of Kevin's realization plays in the background along with Chiron's dialogue. What is beautiful about this close-up is how intense it is. As a viewer, it felt like we were waiting for an eternity for Kevin to see it was Chiron who walked in and sat down, and the close-up of Chiron which is followed up with the close-up of Kevin begs the question of how they recognize each other? But in a kind of sweet way, it was as if it didn't matter how different they looked, how older they had gotten they had created an important bond and would remember each other no matter how much had "changed".

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Can we talk about the whole sequence of scenes after the tense argument outside at 30:04. Where the child is portrayed in the realistic home of hardship but the mom has a background of the same place but with the pinkish colored back light. The whole of sequence of the stare down seems like Chiron is trying to pull her back to reality but she keeps running away to her addiction/fun happy place. he use of her lashing out also shows her guilt of failing her son but she still chooses to walk away instead of talking to him. The running into the room with the unrealistic pink light shows the mothers guilt and problem with addiction and how even from a young age Chiron had to grow up. Lastly, the closing of the door portrays that she is locking him out from her deluded reality because she is guilty of running to her addiction.

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In this Moonlight frame, Jenkins uses an over-the-shoulder shot, with the camera angled from the side rather than directly behind Kevin. This perspective allows us to feel as though we're in the car with the two, watching Chiron share an intimate moment with Kevin. Kevin’s face is blurred and cut off, guiding our focus to Chiron’s expression as he smiles—a rare moment of happiness and vulnerability. The shot emphasizes the comfort and ease Chiron feels with Kevin, a contrast to his guarded nature elsewhere, highlighting the unique connection and acceptance they share.

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In this scene, we see Chiron and Kevin take their relationship to a different level. With an almost high angle shot, with a low depth of field, we see Chiron's hand gripping the sand on the beach. His hand is the main point emphasized in the shot, almost blurring the sand into the background; but still keeping it in frame. This brings us back to the beach once more, the same beach that Chiron went with Juan. This brings up the importance of the beach within Moonlight. This scene, in a way, symbolizes the growth Chiron has accomplished from kid to young adult. And how he is accepting his sexuality.