The Florida Project

Moonee, a fearless six-year-old, leads a loose-knit crew through a sunlit summer that feels like a secret adventure. They roam a shabby budget motel on the outskirts of Orlando, turning daily peculiarities into games and daredevil quests. The world around them hums with neon, poolside mischief, and the small schemes that map their days. At the center stands Halley, Moonee's mother, trying to stretch every dollar while keeping her daughter afloat. Bobby, the motel manager played with gruff warmth, curbs trouble but also acts as a steady, if unconventional, guardian. The story tracks their improvised freedom against grown-up hardship without losing sight of wonder.

Directed by Sean Baker from an original screenplay co written with Chris Bergoch, The Florida Project continues his tactile approach. It premiered at Cannes 2017 and was released in the US by A24, drawing praise for its realism.

It earned about 11.3 million worldwide on a 2 million dollar budget, signaling strong interest in a sharply observed drama. The figure reflects enduring festival momentum and steady word of mouth, rather than crowd pleasing blockbuster numbers.

The Florida Project became part of conversations about poverty near major tourist hubs and the lives of families who dwell in motel communities rather than in glossy suburbs. Audiences connected with Moonee and Halley by watching small, resourceful acts replace big plans, while Dafoe's Bobby offered a steady, humane counterweight to harsh circumstances. Critics cited its unvarnished honesty and intimate, everyday scale.

Critics praised the performances and Baker's patient, ground level lens that centers childhood imagination amid hardship. The film probes how love, ingenuity, and small gestures of care sustain a family when money is tight, and it reframes a summer of play as a serious examination of economic precarity without turning away from joy. Brooklynn Prince and Bria Vinaite deliver raw, unforced performances that anchored the film's fragile world.