When Joi McMillon received an Oscar nomination for her work on Moonlight, she made history as the first Black woman to be nominated for Best Film Editing. "For me, that distinction comes with great responsibility," she says now. "I am honored to be the first, but my mission is to make sure I am not the last."
Growing up in Orlando as the second youngest of six children, McMillon says her love of cinema began "as something forbidden." "Being too young to watch what my siblings were watching only made me want to see it even more," she says. "I remember sneaking down a dark hallway and the glow from the television lighting up our living room as my older siblings watched Jaws. The sounds intrigued me, and even though I couldn't see the image, I could hear that infamous score."
"At the time, I didn't realize it was cinema that I was falling in love with," McMillon adds, "but to this day, I can easily be transported back to that hallway — vividly recalling how I wanted to peak my head out from behind that hallway."
In high school, a class trip to Universal Studios introduced her to film editing. ("It was such a perfect fit for me.") She enrolled at Florida State University, where she first met Barry Jenkins and Nat Sanders, with whom she would co-edit 2016's Moonlight. At the 89th Oscars, Moonlight won Best Picture, and in the years since, McMillon has edited all of Jenkins projects, including If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), The Underground Railroad (2021), and the upcoming Mufasa: The Lion King (2024).
"Time is our secret. We know each other so well so by this point that I can usually anticipate the direction he wants to go in," she reflects on their 20-year creative partnership. "Our work together has varied over the years, but the constant in each project is our sensibilities remain in alignment. Be it historical fiction or talking lions, we operate with authenticity and strive to create intentional films."
Below, McMillon shares with A.frame five of the films that made her into the editor she is today.
Directed by: Jérémy Clapin | Edited by: Benjamin Massoubre
There is a scene in this film that takes place over an intercom, and it is probably one of my favorites of all time. There is a balance and fluidity with the dialogue between the two characters that feels like a dance. J'ai perdu mon corps is so unassuming but at the same time packs a punch. I didn’t know what to expect going into it, and that's the best way to watch it.
Directed by: Mel Stuart | Edited by: David Saxon
This film is my childhood, and is probably when I was truly exposed to the ability of cinema being able to transport you to other worlds. Gene Wilder will always be Willy Wonka to me.
Directed by: Lynne Ramsay | Edited by: Lucia Zucchetti
Every story has been told before, and the only original thing a filmmaker can bring to it is their perspective. Lynne Ramsay shows us her world with laser focus and exceptional precision. I remember watching this film in school, and it shattered my perception of what film was supposed to be and opened the door to the possibility of what film can become.
Directed by: Alice Diop | Edited by: Amrita David
Saint Omer left me inspired. Brilliant performances that made this film stay with me long after I was done watching it. Alice Diop is a force, and the film world is a better place with her in it.
Directed by: Krzysztof Kieślowski | Edited by: Jacques Witta
The texture of this film is so intricately woven that I often revisit it to see if my own view of what Kieslowski is saying with this film has changed over the years. The choices of what the audience is allowed to see, and the masterful sound design creates a cinematic experience that I love returning to.
