Interview (Video): Sean Baker
Insight into the movie ‘The Florida Project’ from its writer-director.
Insight into the movie ‘The Florida Project’ from its writer-director.
On September 19th, the DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts hosted writer-director Sean Baker as part of our ongoing Visiting Artists Series. He participated in a Q&A after a screening of his latest movie The Florida Project. The film’s reviews have been almost universally positive in the extreme (its current film critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 97%) and there is early buzz that this tiny independent project could receive some Academy Award nominations.
IMDb plot summary: Set over one summer, the film follows precocious 6-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadows of Disney World.
The movie provides a unique take on America’s ‘hidden homeless.’
Apart from its strengths in terms of story and characters, the acting performances are superb made all the more impressive due to the fact there were only two professional actors in the bunch. In this interview with Baker shot at the Cannes Film Festival, he talks about working with first-time actors:
At the center of the movie is Moonee played by Brooklyn Prince and her performance is phenomenal. Here is a clip of an interview with Brooklyn at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival:
Here is a clip from the movie:
Friends, when we complain about the formulaic and repetitive type of movies Hollywood tends to produce, it’s incumbent upon us to support films which are visionary and well-told. Strong box office is the only way to convince The Suits that these type of movies are worth producing.
The Florida Project is fantastic. Go see it in theaters as it starts to roll out in theaters here in North America this weekend.