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Watch: Moonlight Wins the 2016 IFP Gotham for Best Feature
“Holy shit, man” — Barry Jenkins kicked off his Best Feature acceptance speech with a few words of thanks to the IFP and the Gothams, then enthused from the heart. “It’s so humbling to be nominated in a category with people like Kelly Reichardt,” he said. “I’ve seen Meek’s Cutoff at least 7,000 damn times.” He thanked the cast, his producers, his third grade teacher (the first person who told him his story was worth telling), his “friend and confidante on this tour” Mike Mills (director of the forthcoming 20th Century Women). Then he alluded to the unignorable reality of this political moment: “The films in this category about marginalized people living marginalized lives, I just love that there’s a platform like this to center these marginalized people and marginalized stories — because right now, at this moment, they’re needed more than they’ve ever been needed in the history of the world.” And finally: “A24,” he chanted five times, confirming the company’s status as a rising force.