Happy 41st Birthday, Barry Jenkins! Born today in 1979 as Barry Moore Jenkins, this African-American screenwriter, producer and film director, after making his filmmaking debut with a short film, garnered positive notices for an independent feature among other later award nominations.
Born in Miami, Florida, Jenkins was the youngest of four siblings. His father passed when he was twelve, and had earlier separated from his mother, believing that Jenkins was not his biological son.
During his childhood, Jenkins was raised by another woman in an overcrowded apartment.
Years later, he attended Miami Northwestern Senior High School, where he played on the school football team.
In 2003, Jenkins graduated alma mater and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film from Florida State University in Tallahassee.
When he first got into film, Jenkins’ passion was for French and Asian New Wave cinema. He would always head straight for the foreign films section of his local Blockbuster and devour all he could afford.
Later, Jenkins espied a photo of Quentin Tarantino on the VHS jacket for Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kari-wai's (‘Happy Together’, ‘In the Mood for Love’) 1994 Hong Kong comedy/romance drama film ‘Chungking Express’.
Afterwards, Jenkins’ curiosity was immediately piqued. Once he saw the feature, he knew that he had to become a filmmaker.
Later that same year post-graduation, Jenkins debuted on the screen with the nine-minute 2003 American drama/short film 'My Josephine'.
Two years later, Jenkins got his first experience of Hollywood-style filmmaking. This occurred when he worked in Los Angeles as a director's assistant.
The film was produced by Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions. Winfrey also served as the host for the broadcast.
Three years later, Jenkins’ first breakout film came with the 2008 American independent romantic drama film 'Medicine for Melancholy'. On a budget of $15,000, the film was later well received by critics.
After the success of his previous film, Jenkins wrote an epic for Focus Features about Stevie Wonder and time travel.
Jenkins also wrote adaptation of African-American novelist, playwright and activist James Baldwin's 1974 romance fiction novel If Beale Street Could Talk. However, neither of these initially entered production.
Afterwards, Jenkins worked as a carpenter and later co-founded an advertising company called Strike Anywhere.
In the early 2010s, he wrote and directed the eighteen-minute 2011 American science fiction/drama short film 'Remigration'. The short told of gentrification set in a futuristic, entirely upper-class San Francisco.
In 2013, Jenkins wrote a film adaptation of American novelist, playwright, essayist, poet, and activist James Baldwin's 1974 romance fiction novel If Beale Street Could Talk.
Jenkins later became a writer for HBO's American supernatural mystery drama television series The Leftovers (2014–2017). Regarding his contribution, Jenkins commented, "I didn't get to do much."
During this time, Jenkins wrote and directed the film of which he is best known. This was the 2016 American coming-of-age drama/independent film 'Moonlight'.
This was Jenkin's first feature film in eight years, and was inspired by African-American playwright and actor Tarell Alvin McCraney's unpublished semi-autobiographical drama school project In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. Along with Jenkins, McCraney also wrote the screenplay.
In September 2016, 'Moonlight' premiered at the 42nd Telluride Film Festival in Colorado to vast critical acclaim and awards buzz.
American journalist and film critic A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote: "Moonlight dwells on the dignity, beauty and terrible vulnerability of black bodies, on the existential and physical matter of black lives."
Variety wrote: "Barry Jenkins' vital portrait of a South Florida youth revisits the character at three stages in his life, offering rich insights into the contemporary African-American experience."
The following year, the film later won dozens of accolades. Most notably, this included five nominations and three wins at the Oscars.
This was for Best Picture, Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay), and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Mahershala Ali). This occurred at the 89th Academy Awards in late February 2017.
However, American film director, producer, and screenwriter Damien Chazelle's ('Whiplash') 2016 American musical romantic drama film 'La La Land' received six wins and fourteen nominations.
It was that Sunday night's award ceremony of which went out with a historic, shocking bang.
This was when Faye Dunaway, alongside Warren Beatty, announced that 'La La Land' had won Best Picture. The mistake was then corrected mid-acceptance speech.
Later that same year, Jenkins directed the fifth episode of the Netflix-original American comedy-drama television original series Dear White People (2017–present).
The following year, Jenkins' 'If Beale Street Could Talk' was released in December to critical acclaim. It later garnered numerous accolades.
Most notably, this included a win for African-American actress and television director Regina King for Best Supporting Actress.
Jenkins also received a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. This occurred at the 90th Academy Awards in early March 2019.
Jenkins' upcoming projects include an eleven-episode series for Amazon Prime Video called The Underground Railroad. It will be based on African-American novelist Colson Whitehead's 2016 historical fiction novel of the same name.
This also includes Jenkins' screenplay based on the life of African-American professional boxer Claressa Shields.
It was announced that Jenkins would direct a sequel to American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Jon Favreau’s (‘The Jungle Book’) 2019 American musical drama family/adventure film ‘The Lion King’.
Throughout his career, Jenkins has directed three Oscar-nominated performances. These included Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, and Regina King. Both Ali and King won for their performances in Jenkins' films.
Jenkins’ trademark is not storyboarding, but instead opting for straightforward shot lists. His favorite part of the filmmaking process is hands-on production which is where his real creative energy emerges.
Among filmmakers, Jenkins holds French professor, writer and film director Claire Denis ('No Fear, No Die', 'Beau Travail') in high esteem. She is of whom Jenkins has called “the world’s greatest working filmmaker."
According to Jenkins' personal life, he is in a relationship with fellow Asian-American film director, writer and producer Lulu Wang ('The Farewell'). Jenkins currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Jenkins has been active from 2003–present.
