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Indie Film Moonlight Has Roots In Miami

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DAVIE (CBSMiami) – At the box office this weekend, a timeless story of self-discovery through very tough times, set right here in South Florida.

The movie, "Moonlight" chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood, as he struggles to find his place in a rough Miami neighborhood.

Moonlight's writer Tarell Alvin McCraney, grew up on those mean streets of Miami. He created the storyline back in drama school. CBS4'S Lisa Petrillo sat down with Tarell, the film's director Barry Jenkins, and two of the actors who play the lead character Chiron in different decades of his life.

McCraney explained the storyline is based on his own past experiences.

"Most of the experiences in the script that I handed to Barry actually happened in my life on 62nd Street in Liberty City and so I was trying to get them on paper before they left me fully. As time goes on these memories fade," explained McCraney.

Director Barry Jenkins also grew up in Liberty City just a few blocks away from where Tarell lived but the two never met before this project. When Barry read the story, he knew he wanted to bring it to the big screen and he knew he wanted to film it in Miami as well because Miami is one of the characters.

"Like you said Miami was another character and the soul in the piece but also so much of what Tarell wrote, the reason why it struck me was I know that place I know exactly where that would happen, coming here made it more fluid," said Barry.

Young actor Ashton Sanders plays Chiron as a 16-year-old whose mother is a heroin addict and had to undergo constant bullying at school. For Ashton, playing Chiron was therapeutic.

"I've been through some of these things myself being bullied, or dealing with identity so I was feeling that in the role and living these circumstances," explained Ashton.

Actor Trevante Rhodes plays the adult version of Chiron, a man whose outside strength doesn't show his inner struggles.

"I hope that the story tells someone that it's okay to be yourself, to love yourself, to understand yourself that's everything, understanding is what prompts you to love other people and understand other people. When you can do that then the world is an amazing place," said Rhodes.

"I want people to see the film and think that person has a life and they have a story and their life isn't so different than mine, maybe their circumstances are different, but their story isn't," said Barry.

Moonlight is rated "R" and opens in theaters October 28th.

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