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<\/a><\/p>\nOn the heels of the 8 Oscar nominations for his much-loved sophomore feature film \u201cMoonlight,\u201d also hailed by critics as the best film of 2016 and lavishly praised with over 140 awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama, it\u2019s certainly fair to say that writer\/director Barry Jenkins is having a *moment* \u2013 a much deserved spotlight a decade or so in the making (counting his short films prior to his debut feature, \u201cMedicine for Melancholy\u201d); although an argument could be made that it\u2019s a lifetime in the making, as our life experiences inform how we each grow and evolve through time.<\/span><\/p>\nOn January 26, Mr. Jenkins graced the International Film Festival Rotterdam: IFFR with his film and his presence, where he participated in a program titled \u201cMasterclass: Barry Jenkins\u201d \u2013 an hour-long conversation and Q&A during which the filmmaker spoke in depth about his work (shorts and 2 features), his vision as a writer and director, the trials and triumphs of filmmaking (especially the kind of art he aims to create),\u00a0his skyrocketing success, and much more.<\/span><\/p>\nIt\u2019s an enlightening, entertaining \u201cMasterclass\u201d that you will find engaging and educational, even learning some behind-the-scenes facts that may not have been widely known previously; for example, he shares that his first feature, \u201cMedicine Melancholy,\u201d was made for an astoundingly low $13,000! He also discusses how he raised the funds, and breaks down how the money was allocated.<\/span><\/p>\nA groundbreaking film on many levels, \u201cMoonlight\u201d is based on Tarell Alvin McCraney\u2019s play \u201cIn Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.\u201d Jenkins studied Film at Florida State University and directed several shorts, of which the majority are included in the Black Rebels program at the IFFR this year.\u00a0The emotional reception to \u201cMoonlight\u201d\u00a0by many viewers resonates with Jenkins\u2019 own experience: \u201cThat means the world to me, because I know what it\u2019s like to feel voiceless and unseen. When we don\u2019t see images outside of ourselves, we feel invisible,\u201d he states.<\/span><\/p>\nWatch \u201cMasterclass: Barry Jenkins\u201d in full below:<\/span><\/p>\n
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