Moonlight

Drama 111 min Masterpiece Streaming Age

A young Black man in Miami navigates identity, sexuality, and community across three chapters of his life.

Budget

$4M

Box Office

$65M

ROI

16.3×

Why It Matters

Won Best Picture in the most chaotic Oscar ceremony ever (La La Land mistakenly announced). An argument for poetry in cinema.

Historical Context

The Black Lives Matter era — what it costs to be unseen, unheard, uncountable in America.

Historical Forces at Play

Black Lives Matter · 2014

The movement legitimized and amplified Black cinematic voices. Jordan Peele, Barry Jenkins, Ryan Coogler, and Ava DuVernay all rose to prominence in this cultural moment.