The golden theater is packed, the hot lights nearly blinding those on stage as a famous actor plays the role of the presenter. It’s Oscar night and everyone is thrumming with excitement to see which film and cast members will win the holy grail of the night: the Oscar for Best Picture.
This year many amazing films have been nominated for this prestigious award and we finally have more diverse representation within the nomination (although there is still a long way to go). One of the most notable films of the year was Moonlight, which took an honest and tender look at a young black man’s life as he struggles with a violent culture subjecting him to bullying, his sexuality, drug-addicted mother, and first love, while trying to stay afloat in the toxic masculinity that surrounds him.
Moonlight took an honest and tender look at a young black man’s life.
The movie portrays Chiron’s growth and development through the three most important periods in his life: his childhood (i. Little) his adolescence (ii.Chiron) and his adulthood (iii. Black). Moonlight does not have a definite resolution because unlike so many other films it does not treat Chiron’s identity as a problem but rather portrays him as a complex and complete person. His race, sexual orientation, and poverty have a firm hold on Chiron but they do not define his character.
Moonlight brings attention to a marginalized group but never treats them as such. With virtually no other movie as a suitable foundation, director Barry Jenkins and the film’s cast took on an incredible challenge to create an honest story that resonated with its viewers. After watching the movie, the audience emerges from the darkness of the theater as changed persons and to remember the film years from now.
Yet as we have seen in countless other award shows, the movie that should win many times does not
With its charming Hollywood nostalgia and attractive famous leads, the movie La La Land swept in determined to win the hearts of the mainstream and the Academy Awards committee. And so far the movie is succeeding; tied with Titanic for most Oscar nominations in history. La La Land is a love story between aspiring actress Mia and jazz musician Sebastian in the dazzling city of Los Angeles. No one could truly tell you why Mia wanted to be an actress or what her dreams and aspirations were because they were not explored, only in a snippet of conversation about her aunt introducing her to old movies. The characters were pigeonholed into the roles of “starving” artists and were not explored outside of their affection for each other or their individual goals.
More importantly, the movie has inherently racist undertones with a white male claiming to be the savior of jazz, a genre with distinctly black roots. Moreover, in the film the black musicians of jazz are letting the genre “die” (because clearly, they don’t understand the genre of music they created), while Sebastian truly sees its original importance and seeks to revive it. None of the background non-white characters are ever developed and black jazz musician Keith hires Sebastian for his band only to be portrayed as ruining the music.
La La Land has been described as “groundbreaking” but is it truly that difficult to market a musical centered around a heterosexual love story between two famous actors, especially within the beautiful setting of Los Angeles.
Movies like Moonlight and even Fences, Hidden Figures and Lion were groundbreaking, with original and honest storytelling. However, in a heartbreaking fashion, we know these films will not get the recognition they deserve. In today’s turbulent political climate, by awarding Moonlight Best Picture, the Oscars would be making a political statement. The Academy would be signaling that movies similar to Moonlight are the ones audiences want to see and in which actors want to participate.
Choosing Moonlight would alienate right-leaning viewers and, frankly, the Oscars do not want to risk such a drop in ratings.
I can’t help but wonder if Moonlight were centered around a white gay teenager would it receive more praise than it is now? Would the odds of its victory to be higher? Sadly, although undeserved, La La Land will win because it is not a political choice, it is an escapist movie that takes it audience to a fairytale world where dreams come true for all those willing to pursue them.
It is a choice that avoids controversy. Only one movie focusing on black characters has ever won Best Picture (12 Years A Slave) and no movie with LGBTQ+ characters has ever won Best Picture. While La La Land has audience’s love of musicals, Hollywood glitz, and love stories on its side Moonlight has the odds stacked against it.
