There comes a time when you have to stand up for your sexuality and identity. In Barry Jenkins' film Moonlight, Chiron, the main character, is shown through three stages of his life as a gay African-American man living in Liberty City, Miami, Florida. We are introduced to young Chiron, nicknamed "Little", running away from a group of bullies and ending up hiding in a drug house. This opening signals the difficulties he faces with his sexuality and identity, but Juan, a drug dealer next door to his girlfriend Theresa, offers him advice and support as a father figure. The next chapter features Chiron as a high school teenager who juggles avoiding school bully Terrel, spending time with Theresa, his mother's growing drug addiction and prostitution, all while exploring his own sexuality and his identity with Kevin. Finally, an adult Chiron, known as "Black", becomes a drug dealer in Atlanta after a prison sentence for assaulting Terrel. He seems financially well off but unsatisfied until he meets Kevin at his restaurant, eventually going to his apartment and embracing an intimate queer relationship. While the plot proves to be solid, the cinematography is what really sets the film apart, winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. Rather than employing a realistic documentary style, Moonlight is filled with visual design elements such as contrast, color, camera angles, lighting, and slow motion that immerse the audience in a dreamlike setting. Additionally, the use of costumes, props, designs, and a realistic Miami setting allows viewers to make connections between scenes and grasp the feeling of authenticity. Although these visual design elements are primarily found in four essential scenes: Juan bringing Little home, the crashing of the waves, Paula scolding Little, and the dinner scene, they are also used throughout the film for the audience to establish links and get an authentic feel. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay One of the main visual design elements of Moonlight is contrast. Contrast is the difference in luminance or color that allows an object or its representation to be distinguished in an image or display. Throughout the film, a single light source, such as the Miami sun, was used, with no fill lights. Consequently, this created a visually aggressive contrast, particularly visible on the characters' faces when the light falls into shadow. When Juan brings Little home and talks with Paula, the photo shows Juan with a backdrop of tropical palm trees. Juan's skin tone is distinctive because the mid tones are removed and blue is added to the blacks, creating a thicker color. Additionally, this scene depicts Juan with a cloth, diamond earrings, gold faceplates, and a dashboard crown. These costumes and props are important because they define Juan's masculinity and toughness as a drug dealer. In chapter three, when Chiron takes on Juan's role as a drug dealer while also embracing his homosexual relationship with Kevin, Jenkins reconciles that homosexuality and masculinity can and do coexist. The scene of the crashing waves shows Juan teaching Little how to swim. As Juan gestures for him to join him, the camera stays with Chiron, holding him, pushing him while he decides what to do. The subtle camera movements show Little's desire to join Juan but he hesitates,..