New Release: Moonlight at HOME

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor
Image courtesy of HOME

Moonlight at HOME Manchester, Manchester 10 February — 13 April 2017 Tickets from £5.00 — Book now

Moonlight depicts the journey of Chiron, a young black male from a depressed Florida neighbourhood, as he progresses from childhood to adulthood, focusing upon three formative stages of his life as he traverses a path through the drugs and violence that threaten to engulf him, and reckons with his burgeoning homosexuality.

Director Barry Jenkins, adapting a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, chooses to use three different actors to portray his protagonist at each point in his life. It’s a risky strategy, as the different actors – Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes – don’t necessarily resemble each other physically, but its a strategy that pays off, with each actor capturing the physical tics and timid soul of Chiron in a way that creates a convincing continuity.

Jenkins has cited films by such global auteurs as Claire Denis, Hou Hsiou Hsien and Wong Kar Wai as influences on Moonlight, and it is certainly refreshing to see an American independent filmmaker embrace the colour, texture and sensuality of this particular strand of world cinema. The film thrives on ambiguities and ellipses, with dizzying camerawork that is forever alert and attuned to the importance of the small coded glances and gestures of the films quiet protagonist.

Of course, films about gay black men are seldom seen on the big screen, but Jenkins, working with McCraney’s story, isn’t tempted to swing for anything grand or universal. Moonlight‘s strength lies in being content to depict a specific story; to find a single truth rather than the whole truth. Ultimately, in spite of the awards season fanfare, this is a nimble little art film, crafted with empathy and a deep understanding of its time and place.

Moonlight at HOME Manchester, Manchester 10 February — 13 April 2017 Tickets from £5.00 Book now

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Where to go near New Release: Moonlight at HOME

Manchester
Restaurant
Indian Tiffin Room, Manchester

Indian Tiffin Room is a restaurant specialising in Indian street food, with branches in Cheadle and Manchester. This is the information for the Manchester venue.

The Ritz Manchester live music venue
Manchester
Music venue
The Ritz

The Ritz was originally a dance hall, built in 1928, has hosted The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and The Smiths and is still going strong as a gig venue now.

Homeground
Manchester
Event venue
Homeground

Homeground is HOME’s brand new outdoor venue, providing an open-air space for theatre, food, film, music, comedy and more.

Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Burgess Cafe Bar
at IABF

Small but perfectly-formed café – which also serves as the in-house bookstore, stocking all manner of Burgess-related works, along with recordings of his music. It’s a welcoming space, with huge glass windows making for a bright, welcoming atmosphere.

Rain Bar pub in Manchester
City Centre
Bar or Pub
Rain Bar

This huge three-floor pub, formerly a Victorian warehouse, then an umbrella factory (hence the name), has one of the city centre’s largest beer gardens. The two-tier terrace overlooks the Rochdale canal and what used to be the back of the Hacienda, providing an unusual, historic view of the city.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
The Briton’s Protection

Standing on the corner of a junction opposite The Bridgewater Hall, The Briton’s Protection is Manchester’s oldest pub. It has occupied the same spot since 1795, going under the equally patriotic name The Ancient Britain.

Castlefield Gallery, Manchester
Castlefield
Gallery
Castlefield Gallery

The influential Castlefield Gallery sits at the edge of Manchester’s exciting Castlefield district, an ideal home for thought-provoking contemporary art.

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from £7.95

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