An essay exploring the influence of New Wave French cinema on the 2017 "Best Picture" Oscar winner "Moonlight" (directed by Barry Jenkins), particualrly the similarities between "Moonlight" and Jean-Luc Goddard's 1965 crime drama "Pierrot le Fou".

I can't help to not regret watching Moonlight until after it's "Best Picture" win at the 2017 Academy Awards, in cause of this it allowed me to learn that Barry Jenkins was heavily influenced by French New Wave cinema. So as I watched Moonlight I couldn't help but notice the similarities between it and Pierrot le Fou, one of the quintessential films during that period of French cinema, directed by the one and only Jean-Luc Goddard. 

The format in which Moonlight is told already sets it apart from most coming-of-age films made today. There is no continuous plot focusing on just one age in life, particularly the age of teen-hood so commonly seen and associated with films central themes being that of realization of self. Instead what Moonlight so refreshingly does is split the movie into three parts to make up and individual's whole journey rather than the sole focus being on the teenage years. This chronological choice on Jenkins behalf is a heavy reminder of Goddard's decision of showing "Pierrot's" (the somewhat ironically nicknamed main character) life crisis in different moments with no set plot guiding his actions. The separation of Moonlight into three parts seems a small but vastly important point in aiding in it's non-conforming American cinematic storytelling style and showing the influence of French New Wave cinema on the film. 

A similarity between the varying colors used in Moonlight with the initial party scene in Pierrot le Fou cannot help but be contrasted either. There is no doubt the color so overwhelming used throughout Moonlight is blue (spoiler alert: it's a very depressing film); however, the same could be said for Pierrot le Fou (sad in a much different, very dry French way). Yet just like in the initial party scene in Pierrot le Fou where as Ferdinand (main character's real name) goes from group to group with the colors switching there are scenes in Moonlight signifying color changes straying from the initial blue feel of the film. As his mother furiously screams at him (in Moonlight) there is an abundant overcast of a red and pink color palette used to signify a deeply hidden feeling of love mixed in with the outright feelings of anger and bitterness. As Chiron (main character in Moonlight) meets a person from his past there is a subtle yellow that draws the eye, leaving the blue of the film behind if only for a moment to create a feeling of calming finality to the film.

Color scheme found throughout various scenes in "Moonlight"

I am not going to lie before seeing Moonlight I was greatly hesitant to watch this film, however there was one scene that undoubtedly changed my mind about it and made me appreciate it. One scene that I have not stopped thinking about since watching the film. To me it sums up not only the pain and struggles Chiron faces in his self and upbringing but brings a sense of comradery in it's complete relatibility to anyone watching the film. It is the overwhelmingly pink and red scene I mentioned earlier. The scene takes place during the first part of the film as it goes through Chiron's childhood. His mother comes home angry, high, and immediately starts screaming at him like a dog. The whole time she is yelling at Chiron the camera uses a medium shot focusing Chiron's stoic reaction, soon after the camera changes to give us Chiron's point of view fixating solely on the mother screaming at him in the middle of ht hallway of their home. However what makes this scene so incredibly breathtaking is the sound, or more accurately the lack thereof it. As his mother, played by the talented Naomie Harris, is yelling at him so hard you see the veins in her neck stick out that is the only thing one sees yet cannot hear a single word of it. It is truly bone-chilling. The lack of sound mixed with the pink and red palette used in the scene creates a fantastical moment in the film where not only empathy for the main character is created but also a connection to him due to the universal feeling known to all of being hurt at one point or another by the ones you love and trust the most. 

An ominous yet accepting ending is found in both Moonlight and Pierrot le Fou. Without giving too much away all I will say is that at the end of both films it feels as if each is just on a continuous loop, as it ends it should just start playing again. They are accepting in the sense that as a viewer you have gone with the two main characters as far as you can go but ominous in the fact that there are still many more realizations to be made: whether it is by the main characters of the film or you is a question that only a viewer can answer.