Pahokee

Pahokee is a small town in southern Florida where the majority of the population are African Americans, and nearly everyone else is Latino, mainly from Mexico. There is a sense of community in this town where everyone knows everyone else. Although Pahokee is struggling with both economic and gun problems, there is also a lot of hope for four teenagers who are entering adulthood. We see their daily joys and worries, as well as their struggles: in sports, in beauty contests, and in their attempts to get into college. This warm yet acerbic portrait of the town provides—in the style of Friedrick Wisemann’s documentaries—an in-depth social analysis of contemporary America. The fruit of several years’ work by Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan, the film—an award winner at festivals in Miami and Paris—gives us an opportunity to fully immerse ourselves in the reality of Florida, to breathe in its air, to better understand its local flavor and customs.