Watching ‘Moonlight’, one could be forgiven for presuming that the film was shot in Africa – the locales, the penury and the privative conditions of the principal characters in the film being adequate affirmation.

The film portrays Chiron’s life in three stages – as a 10-year-old boy, as a teenager and finally as an adult. 10-year-old Chiron, played by debutant Alex Hibbert, is taken under the care of Juan (Mahershala Ali), a drug peddler; the lad’s mother Paula (Naomie Harris) being a drug addict and a single parent. Chiron prefers to spend his time with Juan, his mentor and philosopher, who lives with his girlfriend Teresa (Janelle Monae).

The second stage of his life is played by Ashton Sanders who develops a friendship with, and attraction for his friend Kevin (Jharrel Jerome). The adult stage, played by Trevante Rhodes, has Chiron taking after his deceased mentor Juan and meeting up with his Cuban friend Kevin.

Director Barry Jenkins’ second feature film, nominated for eight Oscars this year, is predominantly on poverty, blacks and relationships. The fourth black to be nominated in the Best Director category, Jenkins conveys a hard-hitting, social message — of bullying and opening up to one’s sexual identity – and an equally hard look at the impoverished blacks surviving in an apartheid-like environment.

Based on the yet-to-be-produced play ‘In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue’ by Tarell Alvin McCraney and made on a shoe-string budget, Moonlight, shot entirely in Florida, is undoubtedly a film which will appeal only to a miniscule segment of society and film-goers.