Film: The Florida Project

The Angelika Film Center is possibly one of my favorite places to go to in New York. It's not only because of their amazing popcorn but also because they show some of the best indie films I've watched. This is the one movie theater where I dare to go by myself, it has seen me cry, laugh and feel the deep suspense of a good drama.

Such was the case when I watched The Florida Project, a film directed by Sean Baker starring Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince and Valeria Cotto. The whole movie is a colorful homage to childhood, with the astounding performance by Brooklynn Prince, who plays Moonee, a six-year old who lives with her young mother (Valeria Cotto) in a motel managed by Bobby (Dafoe) just outside the utopia that is Disney World.

The day to day lives of these characters illustrate the difficulties of living in a place in between. The joy and humor brought by the youngest characters almost makes you forget the hardships their young parents are going through to provide for them. In a setting where the sun is always shining and the laughter of children is always in the air, there are also hidden dreams and desires torn down by economic adversity.

The Florida Project has been beautifully filmed, framing delicately the places, people and customs that make Florida well, Florida. The film allows us to delve into the minds of both children and adults, we wish we had as much fun every day, while we are also reminded of the little things we do that make us adults.

You can watch the movie trailer here!

#film