The Florida Project
While 2017 may not have been the best year of our lives, it
certain has been a great year celebrating Independent films and their
directors. With the upcoming film award season, Independent cinema is taking
over big time and there is no one stopping them. Perhaps, finally the Independent
sector of filmmaking is becoming a recognised and respected mode of film
practise, arguably with a big thanks to A24, which is behind distributing and producing
a whole lot of these massive hits. With the likes of Lady Bird, Get Out, I am
Michael, Call Me by Your Name, The Disaster Artist and many, many more
exhilarating films to choose from, the audience are certainly in for a treat.
Sean Baker, ultimately rose to fame and became a recognised Indie filmmaker
through his innovative and rather unconventional sensation, that is, of course,
Tangerine, which was shot using only iPhones, a small crew and a low budget of
$100,000. Baker comes back into the game with another superb picture!
Starring William Dafoe, the amazingly talented young girl that is Brooklynn
Prince and, of course, a whole cast of extraordinarily talented people, The
Florida project attempts to answer the big question of what is the hidden truth
behind the utopian idealisation of America, so what is it then?
The narrative of The Florida Project, places a group of
young children at the centre of focus, the audience get a chance to follow them
around, exploring and experiencing their life, living in the forgotten and
hidden outskirts of Florida, one of the ‘’happiest places on earth’’ as many
say. Their childhood is far from being blissful or filled with joy, as many
would have imagined. Instead, from a young age they deal with issues that even
the mainstream Hollywood films have been avoiding for far too long. However,
Baker certainly does not shy away from portraying the harsh reality and the
hidden truth of the forgotten people. Yet, still, the film beautifully manages
to capture the sense of freedom of one’s childhood through the captivating and heartfelt
portrayal of the sweet and innocent nature of those children, the love and
pureness of their hearts and their need of belonging in a world that is not
welcoming. With the progression of the narrative, the audience meet a variety
of people, which all come from different backgrounds socially, culturally and
economically, and learn their stories which are bold, yet, by no means,
exploitative. The narrative aims to portray the downfall of the capitalistic
society and simultaneously challenges the status quo. Baker certainly isn’t a
stranger in exploring the problematic ways of life of those belonging to marginalised
groups and minorities, as he has proven his openness to ‘difference’ in
Tangerine through focusing on a distinctive group of people (transgender sex
workers) and the issues that they face. The Florida Project captures real emotions, which
are raw and authentic and it does so through the brilliant cast and the relativeness of
the story. By now, Baker is known for taking inspiration from real people, real
places and transforming it into something that has the potential to have an
impact on wider society. The Florida Project demands of a cine-literate active
audience, opposing the mainstream convections of an audience being passive and viewing
films purely for pleasure in the form of escapism. The film will certainly not
evoke the same emotions a major action filled blockbuster may, but the film
does something of much greater value as it educates its audience about the
reality of life. The themes conveyed in The Florida Project are not of a light
nature, as the film deals with poverty, abuse, prostitution and a whole range
of problems covered up by the media.
The film opposes the idealistic view of the sugar-coated
image of the ‘promised land’ that America so desperately tries to maintain,
through the allegory it provides by the meaning behind the film. Baker simply
is a genius, as he manipulates the screen through mise en scene in terms of a
bold and quite contradictory colour pallet, intertextual cinematography which
shows clear evidence of the inspiration behind it (from the likes of Cassavetes
and Godard) and the smooth, yet, almost documentary like style of editing; after
all, the nature of the film feels like one of a documentary, where the shocking
truth is documented, to then be shown the world. The visual aspect of the film
and its aesthetic is raw and rather poetic, at times, highlighting the
irony. There is no doubt that Baker is on his way of becoming a true auteur, as
his style seems to be consistent, nevertheless progressive in terms of
technology and in terms of the overall aesthetic. The long distance shots,
following the characters from behind, enable the audience to feel a part of the story,
while at the same time being just an observer, while the sudden close ups allow
the audience to closely examine and empathise with the characters and the
bitter stories.
Baker intelligently, subtly and metaphorically exposes the
selfish nature of people and the wider society, through scene such as tourist
accidentally arriving at the motel expecting it to be a holiday resort only to find
that, behind the cultural phenomenon that is Disney World, a whole different
reality is sinisterly hidden away by the establishment. In addition, the scene
also exposes the ignorance of people, as they have been injected with the false
beliefs about America making it a place of wonder, ultimately the accidental ‘guests’
demand to be escorted to a different hotel, as they came to Florida with a set
of expectation due to being brainwashed; therefore, while they indulge in the
pleasures of Disney World and feed the capitalist government, those children,
their cries and screams will not be heard. This raises the question of whether
Baker is suggesting that, people are not aware and are blind to what is really
going on, or whether they actively choose not to see it. As previously
mentioned, the colour palette which Baker opts for in this film, is bold and
contradicts the atmosphere and mood of the story, yet, it only does so in order
to highlight the fact that while on the outside life in terms of colour is
nourished (the motel is bright and appealing, only to hide what’s really
inside) on the inside, there is suffering.
The film sends out a strong message not just due to the
visuals and the events the audience witness, but also through the ongoing
metaphorical projection of the issues being raised. Dafoe and his character
seems to be the only ‘positive’ aspect of many of those people’s lives; he is a
parental figure for many and the last glimmer of hope. However, what Baker was
trying to do through the portrayal of his character, was to represent the small
percentage of people who care, who see what’s really going on, yet, find
themselves being hopeless; while one person may have an impact, he alone
certainly is unable to change the bigger picture that the film is trying to
portray. The film also challenges the issues of entrapment, in the sense of
being stuck in one place without any realistic hope for a better future, as the
film and its action takes place within the walls of the motel and the isolated
space around it, making the audience feel a sense of almost suffocation that
these people feel. 
As a whole, the film is transgressive in terms of mainstream
cinema and its codes and convections. The location of the film, potentially
suggest the ideology of an idealistic story awaiting, yet, the viewers seen
nothing as such, what they do see however, is what happens outside the doors of
those magical places; while the poor stand outside, begging for money, trying
to sell, or even steal, all of that is left behind once the doors open and the
people see what the establishment wants them to see, yet, what Baker does, is
he shifts the focus from what’s going on inside as that is irrelevant, what
truly matters is those people, and the real problem we have as a society. The Florida
Project, looks critically at society, allowing its audience to see what behind
the ‘joy’ fuelled scene, this ideology is reinforced through the audience along
with the characters, observing life and Disney World (or most importantly, what
it really represents) from the outside; the only footage of the place is shown during the ending of the film, which Baker has admitted to obtaining that footage illegally
with his iPhone (showing his dedication and passion towards the project), yet ,even
then, Baker manages to provoke the audience, showing them that the people they
have met through this story, especially the children, deserve to have a life
filled with happiness and free from worries, just like the rest do.Baker may have received critical acclaim for his work on Tangerine; nevertheless, the production of this film was far from being an easy one. While the director was in control of a considerably bigger budget, the nature of the film and the issues trying to be raised caused a few ups and downs among the director and the crew. In an interview, Baker admits that while he yearned to make a feature film, the transition from small autonomous projects, to a much greater one was not easy, he also suggest that, in order to make the film authentic like he intended, he needed full control in order to translate his vision onto the screen, yet, he somehow felt a little lost having a substantially larger crew to control. Baker, admits that he often doubted whether the footage of the film will ever be transformed into a feature film. However, what Baker also admit is that the project and transition from the small projects to the big screen, has made him more self aware as a filmmaker and overall it was a positive experience that taught him many lessons. As a filmmaker, Baker, is a great example of an artist with a vision trying to find a mode of expression, if anything, the journey that Baker has had (so far, especially during the making of Tangerine) with filmmaking teaches aspiring filmmakers to make the most of what they have, while the director may not have wanted to make another small film, he had a vision and used his inventive talent and some DIY skill, in order to produce something which, arguably, revolutionised the film scene. However, one thing that the production of this film highlights is a problem that, as a film industry, Hollywood has, as with the help and the wealth of powerful people and businesses, Hollywood aims to manipulate the audience through false ideologies, and misrepresentation, in order to brainwash society and force them into believing that, such problems do not exist within our society. Meanwhile, talented and fearless directors such as Baker and many others, struggle to create something that will not only please the eye on an artistic level, but will also educate and raise awareness, while the mainstream cinema receives financial support to produce films which are made, through a rose tinted lens.
So, The Florida Project certainly is a heartfelt, compeling, honest and
unique portrayal of life, all thanks to the courageousness and creativity of
the genius that Baker has proven himself to be. Apart from leading the post
modern progression within the film industry, Baker also manages to capture the
realness and bleakness of live, he is an advocate for those whose voices are never
heard and whom are rarely, if ever, seen in mainstream media. The film simply
is a heart clenching, and, at times, shocking journey of people just getting by.
The film offers a diverse portrayal of real people, giving the invisible a platform to
be heard. As a director, Baker has set a high bar for other directors, not just
by making a pretty picture, but through being an activist and aiming to bring social
change and challenge the status quo. The film may not be an easy watch despite
being fresh visually; however, it sure is a necessary watch for those who
really care!
Anna Gaszkowska
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