The Florida Project

The Florida Project
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySean Baker
Written by
Produced by
  • Sean Baker
  • Chris Bergoch
  • Shih-Ching Tsou
  • Andrew Duncan
  • Alex Saks
  • Kevin Chinoy
  • Francesca Silvestri
Starring
CinematographyAlexis Zabe
Edited bySean Baker
Production
companies
Distributed byA24
Release dates
  • May 22, 2017 (2017-05-22) (Cannes)
  • October 6, 2017 (2017-10-06) (United States)
Running time
111 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2 million[2]
Box office$11.3 million[3]

The Florida Project is a 2017 American drama film directed by Sean Baker and written by Baker and Chris Bergoch. Starring Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, and Willem Dafoe, with Valeria Cotto, Christopher Rivera, and Caleb Landry Jones in supporting roles, it was many of the cast members' first film appearance. The slice of life plot focuses on the summertime adventures of a six-year-old girl who lives with her unemployed single mother in a budget motel in Kissimmee, Florida. Their struggle to make ends meet and stave off homelessness takes place in a surreal environment dominated by the nearby Walt Disney World, which was code-named "The Florida Project" during its planning stages.[4] It juxtaposes this with the local residents' less glamorous day-to-day lives and the children's joyful adventures as they explore and make the most of their surroundings while remaining blissfully ignorant of the hardships their adult caretakers face.[5]

The film premiered in the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, and was released theatrically in the United States by A24 on October 6, 2017. It was acclaimed by critics,[6] who praised the performances and Baker's direction; Vinaite earned particular acclaim for her performance. Prince's work earned her a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer, while Dafoe was judged to have given "his finest performance in recent memory",[7] receiving Best Supporting Actor nods at the Oscars, Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Critics Choice Awards, and BAFTA Awards.[8][9]

Both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute named The Florida Project one of the top ten films of the year.[10][11]

  1. ^ "THE PROJECT (15)". British Board of Film Classification. October 31, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  2. ^ O'Falt, Chris (October 6, 2017). "The Florida Project: How Sean Baker Almost Lost His Film Crew - IndieWire". IndieWire. Penske Business Media. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  3. ^ "The Florida Project (2017)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  4. ^ Sanza, Cristina (August 14, 2017). "VIDEO: First trailer for "The Florida Project" film highlights life at budget motel near Walt Disney World". Inside the Magic. JAK Schmidt. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  5. ^ Hoffman, Jordan (May 22, 2017). "The Florida Project review – poverty and joy in the shadow of the Magic Kingdom". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  6. ^ Kermode, Mark (November 12, 2017). "The Florida Project review – thrillingly vibrant". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  7. ^ Hornaday, Ann (October 11, 2017). "Review | 'The Florida Project': Willem Dafoe delivers his finest performance in recent memory". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  8. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (December 11, 2017). "Golden Globe Nominations: Complete List". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  9. ^ "The Shape of Water leads Bafta nominations". BBC News. BBC. January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  10. ^ "AFI Awards 2017". American Film Institute. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  11. ^ Gelb, Andy; Purdy, Shawn; Trager, Rachael (November 28, 2017). "National Board of Review Announces 2017 Award Winners". National Board of Review. Retrieved December 7, 2017.