Sean Baker had been around a long time before finding his breakout feature film hit with 2015's Tangerine. Does anybody remember he was one of the creators of Seth Greene's Greg the Bunny TV series? But Tangerine took him to a whole new level; shot on Iphone 5 and introducing us to the unexplored world of Hollywood's transgender community, it was both a funny, free-wheeling, and surprisingly heartfelt ride. And now Baker is back at it again with The Florida Project, which takes us to a completely different coast but looks just as soulful and touching.
Once again finding breakthrough performances from unknown stars, this time young Brooklyn Prince as 6-year-old Moonee, and Bria Vinaite as her mother Halley, the film follows their struggles living in a week-to-week motel just outside of Disney. It's about the world Moonee creates for herself to cope with the day to day struggles, and the people who inhabit that world and give it shape. Willem Dafoe looks to be lending one heck of a veteran presence, as well.
Here's the synopsis:
Warm, winning and gloriously alive, Sean Baker’s The Florida Project is a deeply moving and unforgettably poignant look at childhood.
Set on a stretch of highway just outside the imagined utopia of Disney World, The Florida Project follows six-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn Prince in a stunning breakout turn) and her rebellious mother Halley (Bria Vinaite, another major discovery) over the course of a single summer. The two live week to week at “The Magic Castle,” a budget motel managed by Bobby (a career-best Willem Dafoe), whose stern exterior hides a deep reservoir of kindness and compassion.
Despite her harsh surroundings, the precocious and ebullient Moonee has no trouble making each day a celebration of life, her endless afternoons overflowing with mischief and grand adventure as she and her ragtag playmates—including Jancey, a new arrival to the area who quickly becomes Moonee’s best friend—fearlessly explore the utterly unique world into which they’ve been thrown. Unbeknownst to Moonee, however, her delicate fantasy is supported by the toil and sacrifice of Halley, who is forced to explore increasingly dangerous possibilities in order to provide for her daughter.
With The Florida Project, Sean Baker gives life and a voice to a community rarely seen on screen. Through the winsome eyes and pained glances of Moonee, Halley, and Bobby, Baker has created a spellbinding and transformative portrait of contemporary lives lived in the margins that are otherwise too easily forgotten. The Florida Project declares, boldly and proudly, that anywhere can be a Magic Kingdom – it just depends on how you see it.
The Florida Project opens October 6th.
