Where Was Moonlight Filmed? Oscar-Winning Drama Flick Of 2016!!

If critically acclaimed films entice you more, then I think you’re going to enjoy this read! As today I will tell you all about the Oscar winning film, Moonlight, starring Trevante Rhodes. And later let you in on where was Moonlight filmed.

The American heart-warming drama flick, Moonlight, released in 2016 was adapted from a play by Tarell A. McCraney, which went unpublished. Barry Jenkins while writing the screenplay of this film, took inspiration from the events that took place in his own life, earlier as a child. The basic premise of Moonlight entails the journey of an African-American man through three different stages of his life. 

Moonlight, exceeded the expectations of the makers commercially, earning over $65 million in total box office collections, against the production budget of just $1.5 million. This unorthodox film also went on to win a number of prestigious awards including 3 Oscars. However, a large number of audiences had mixed opinions about this awe-inspiring film.

Now, before I give you an overview of this film, let’s explore where was Moonlight filmed. So that you can take a closer look at the gorgeous filming locations.

Where Was Moonlight Filmed? Let’s Know This Drama Film Closely!

Director Barry Jenkins began working on perfecting the script of Moonlight three years prior to the release of the film. Jenkins then started looking for idyllic locations that could depict the hometown of Chiron in the film. But as the filming budget was low, other creative heads of the unit conferred with the director and decided to shoot in only a handful of locations. Thus, Barry thought of shooting in and around Miami, as he was familiar with most of the beautiful places there.

The principal photography began in the middle of October 2014 and was completed in more or less 2 months. There were no particular incidents that took place during the shooting which delayed the filming schedule. The crew worked diligently round the clock, to stay on top of the filming dates. 

However, Barry Jenkins strictly restricted the three actors who were portraying the different stages of Chiron’s life to meet with each other, until the entire filming was completed. So, without waiting any longer, let’s discuss in-depth where was Moonlight filmed, and explore more about the specific shooting sites.

Liberty City, Miami

The opening sequence of the film, where we see Chiron living with his family in Miami, was filmed on location. The Liberty City area of Miami was used to shoot the exterior sequence of the neighborhood in which Chiron grew up. The director specifically asked the crew to travel to the outskirts of Miami to film the house of Chiron. 

Some other pivotal scenes like the sequence in which we can see Chiron and Juan inside a diner were filmed inside a vacant shop. The production unit turned around the store, located at 2700 NW 79^th Street in a week’s time. A few other outdoor shots featured Liberty Square, after which the unit moved to the other filming spots.

Other Filming Locations, Florida

After the unit completed filming the majority of the exterior sequences, the crew moved out of Miami to shoot a handful of sequences in the city of Miramar. The high school in which Chiron was abused as a child, was filmed here. The unit then returned back to Miami, to shoot the interior sequences inside a studio.

Alright dear friends, now allow me to quickly give you a brief overview of this film so that you can get a better understanding of the storyline. Plus, you can also check out In Pursuit of Flavor, Crash Landing and My Policeman which I think you’d enjoy watching as well. 

Plot Of Moonlight | What’s It About

The film opens by introducing us to the character of Juan, an African-American drug peddler, who is shown to operate in the Liberty City area of Miami. Later in the film, Juan rescues Chiron from one of the trap houses in the area and sends him back to his mother. Chiron, locally known as “little” makes Juan his idol and follows a lucrative business path shown by him.

Soon after, Chiron explores his adolescent life but starts hating Paula, his mother for using drugs in front of him. And later decides to quit school for being bullied by Terrel. Midway through the film, the lead actor loses Juan, the father-like figure who made his life worth living. Mourning through the demise of his role-model, Chiron learns to tackle different challenges, all by himself.

Towards the final quarter, the character of Chiron completely transforms, after maneuvering through difficult situations in the streets. He is shown to take over the drug-peddling business in Atlanta. Eventually, the lead actor returns to his hometown after receiving a phone call from his childhood buddy, Kevin. Now, in order to find out what happens next, I’d recommend you to watch the film, to get an immersive experience.  

Final Words

Ok guys, now that you’ve gone through the plot of the film, and know where was Moonlight filmed. I hope you found what you were looking for, and enjoyed reading this article. Do let us know about your thoughts or questions in the comments section below. And don’t forget to check out other amazing articles on Viebly.