The Florida Project

The Florida Project is a drama directed and co-written by Sean Baker (Tangerine). It premiered at Cannes this year and screened at TIFF in September. The film stars Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Kimberly Prince, Bria Vinaite, Valeria Cotto, Christopher Rivera, and Caleb Landry Jones.

The Florida Project tells the story of Moonee, a precocious six-year- old and her ragtag group of friends. The children’s summer break is filled with wonder, mischief and adventure while the adults around them struggle with hard times. Our story takes place just outside of Orlando, the vacation capital of the world and home to “The Most Magical Place on Earth.” Along the main highway that runs through the land of theme parks and resorts, budget motels that once attracted tourists by exploiting the Disney mystique, now house homeless families. Moonee and her twenty-two year old mother, Halley, live at one such establishment — The Magic Castle Motel. The closest thing Moonee has to a father is Bobby, the motel’s manager, a guarded and diligent man who is taunted by the children’s antics. Halley has lost her job and a new girl the same age as Moonee has moved in at the motel next door – it’s going to be an eventful summer.

“A modern day Our Gang. This is how I like to describe The Florida Project,” says Baker. “Our Gang aka The Little Rascals – The Hal Roach-produced comedy shorts of the ‘20s and ‘30s, essentially focused on children who lived in poverty during the Great Depression. But their economic state was the backdrop. The children’s humorous adventures were the focus.”

You can see our interview with Baker and star Willem Dafoe here. The Florida Project is rated 14A.