Coming of age story “Moonlight” triumphed Saturday at the Spirit Awards, adding six trophies to the string of honors it has picked up with the Oscars just one day away.
Starring Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris, Barry Jenkins’s movie tells the life story of a young African American struggling to find his place as he grows up in a rough neighborhood of Miami, reports BSS.
The movie — made for just $1.5 million took best film as well as best director for Jenkins and best screenplay, cinematography and editing.
“This one is tough. There are so many amazing directors in the category,” said Jenkins, who beat Andrea Arnold (“American Honey”), Pablo Larrain (“Jackie”), Jeff Nichols (“Loving”) and Kelly Reichardt (“Certain Women”) to the prestigious directing award.
Backstage, the 37-year-old said “Moonlight” was meant to be a symbol of inclusivity at a time when he was angry about how divided America had become during and after the presidential election campaign.
