'Moonlight' Movie: Barry Jenkins Calls Best Picture Victory a 'Considerable Gesture' [VIDEO]
Moonlight director Barry Jenkins is still recovering from the film winning Best Picture and the surreal manner in which it was announced.
The announcement that Moonlight had won Best Picture at the Oscars was certainly the most unique reveal in Academy history. After Best Picture presenter Faye Dunaway mistakenly revealed La La Land to be the winner, the stagehands came out and one of the La La Land producers had the unfortunate distinction of revealing that Moonlight had in fact won.
Jenkins and company then took the stage in a state of shock, with the director himself stating, "Very clearly, even in my dreams this could not be true. But to hell with dreams, I'm done with it, 'cause this is true. Oh my goodness."
The director spoke with Entertainment Weekly after how significant Moonlight's victory is, as the first LGBT-themed film to win Best Picture and the first film centered on black characters that's not about slavery or racism.
"It's only been like, 12 hours, so I think I'm still processing it... but it's wonderful," Jenkins admitted. "If I took myself out of my body and I looked at what happened, I would be inspired. I think for a long time certain narratives, certain people just weren't considered and for the Academy to make this considerable gesture, to see through all those barriers or perceived barriers and just see the film, that's something."
Jenkins suggested that Moonlight's win is a rare victory for outsiders out there like Chiron, the protagonist in the film.
"['Moonlight' playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney] and I are this kid. We are Chiron," he said. "And you don't think that kid grows up to be nominated for eight Academy Awards. It's not a dream he's allowed to have. I still feel that way. I didn't think this was possible. But now I look at other people looking at me and if I didn't think it was possible, how are they going to? But now it's happened. So what I think of possibility, let's take it off the table. The thing has happened."
Jenkins and McCraney won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, having adapted McCraney's un-produced play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.
Moonlight is now available on DVD, Blu-ray and through various digital platforms.
