Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY 1 MAART, 2017

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 1 March 2017
How ‘Moonlight’ pulled off the Oscar upset of a lifetime

JAKE COYLE “There’s a lot of information
AP Film Writer on these men’s faces when
NEW YORK (AP) — Long be- they’re not speaking, partly
fore Barry Jenkins made his because we’re robbed of
way to the podium through our voices so much by so-
the bewildered throng that ciety and the things society
packed the Dolby Theatre projects on us.”
stage at the Academy It was, in a way, fitting that
Awards, he sat in a Toronto “Moonlight” — stealthy and
hotel room explaining his silent — won best picture
movie’s quiet power. amid such cacophony Sun-
“There’s something in the day night. Since its fall film
way black men grow up in festival debut, Jenkin’s ten-
this country,” said Jenkins. derly lyrical film has steadily

Jeremy Kleiner, from left, Adele Romanski and Barry Jenkins, winners of the award for best picture
for “Moonlight”, pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at the Dolby The-
atre in Los Angeles.
Associated Press
risen not through the loud Clinton learned, there are But “Moonlight” was made
kind of arm-waving that of- dangers to being the pre- for just $1.5 million. It was
ten catapults movies to the sumed front-runner, espe- only Jenkins’ second film,
top prize — big box office, cially when you’re seen as and his first in eight years.
scene-chewing perfor- a representative of nostal- Having made $22.2 million
mances, historical sweep gia and tradition in turbu- at the box office, it’s one
— but instead by a soulful, lent times. of the littlest-seen best-pic-
unremitting glow that slow- Widely expected to honor ture winners ever. The littlest
burned all the way to the itself again by awarding seen best-picture winner
Oscars. Now that we more a showbiz celebration like was Kathryn Bigelow’s “The
or less have some answers “La La Land,” Hollywood Hurt Locker” (2009), which
to “What the heck hap- veered instead to Miami’s had made $12.7 million at
pened?” in the Oscars’ fi- Liberty City, and a film that the time of the Oscars.
nal moments — Envelope- ripples with the humanity of The comparison is a good
Gate, if you will — we can a young man — black, gay, one, in some ways. Like
turn to that other puzzler: poor — seldom dignified by “Moonlight,” ‘’The Hurt
How did “Moonlight” just the movies or other realms Locker” triumphed over a
pull off one of the biggest of society. Yet “Moonlight” colorful event movie that
upsets in Academy Awards isn’t a traditional social dra- was praised for resuscitat-
history? While not quite ma but a deeply personal ing the theatrical experi-
as gasp-inducing as the one, soaked through with ence: “Avatar.” And it was
gaff that preceded its win, the kind of empathy many boosted by some compel-
“Moonlight” will surely rank believe is missing from the ling history: Bigelow’s film
alongside, if not above, national discourse. In the was the first best-picture
shockers like “Shakespeare wake of the election of winner directed by a wom-
in Love” (over “Saving Pri- Donald Trump — surely a an. “Moonlight” is the first
vate Ryan”) and “Crash” factor on Oscar night — directed by an African-
(over “Brokeback Moun- Hollywood chose not a American filmmaker. Its
tain”) for sheer, oh-my-god love letter to itself, but, as win, also the first for an LG-
surprise. filmmaker Mark Duplass ar- BT-themed movie, is sure to
The odds were stacked gued in an open-letter to inspire a generation of film-
against it. “La La Land,” academy voters , a “love makers. Only one major stu-
with a record-tying 14 letter to the core human dio release (Warner Bros.’
nominations, was seen as values that connect us all.” “Argo”) has won best pic-
the hands-down favorite, “Moonlight,” arguably the ture in the last decade. “La
having run up prizes from most critically adored film La Land” was distributed
the Producers Guild, the of 2016, is unquestionably by Lionsgate, often called
Directors Guild, the BAFTAs deserving. In fact, it might a “mini-major,” and had
and the Golden Globes. even be too deserving. much the feel of an old stu-
Though this usually hapless Films this good don’t often dio musical. Its 14 nomina-
critic predicted a “Moon- win best picture. Even “La tions and $370 million-plus
light” win , virtually every La Land” star Emma Stone in global box office only
Oscar prognosticator con- took a moment in the cha- enhanced its reputation as
sidered “La La Land” — otic aftermath Sunday to the juggernaut front-runner
like Hillary Clinton, it turned exclaim: “I love ‘Moon- — with the requisite back-
out— a lock. But just as light!” lash to go with it.q