The Florida Project and Poverty

Evergreen Presbyterian Church recently held a film screening and discussion for the 2017 piece, The Florida Project, a film that critically examines life below the poverty line through the eyes of a six year old girl.  The girl, Moonee, and her mother live at a hotel situated on the outskirts of Disney, a contrast that is played upon heavily throughout the film.  Moonee’s mother is young and suffering from a hidden trauma that is not made clear in the film, but is noted through her immature behavior that Moonee mimics in return.  Moonee appears ignorant to her financial situation and has learned how to maneuver past obstacles that result from a lack of economic resources.  It is this blissful unawareness that ultimately tears apart Moonee from her mother, an ending that leaves the audience feeling unsettled. 

            A main theme in the film is the idea that poverty is cyclical and difficult to escape. The methods to escape poverty vary wildly based upon factors such as race, gender, and mental stability.  During the discussion period following the conclusion of the film screening, one woman relayed how she experienced homelessness for six years but was ultimately able to escape based upon her determination and partnership with the Bridge program in Memphis.  She was grieved to see that Moonee’s mother turned towards the sex industry in order to provide for her and her child when other opportunities existed.  This ideology represents a division within the realm of what is deemed as acceptable work versus what is not.  In both instances, both women were seeking to improve their economic status, yet only one of their routes is admirable according to societal standards. 

This relates back to the idea that opportunities are not distributed equally, especially in relation to those extended to individuals experiencing poverty.  Moonee’s mother’s mental illness made traditional means of employment difficult to come by, and in order to create a way for herself, she thus engaged in work that she knew would quickly produce an income.  Her relationship with the sex industry ultimately gave way to her losing custody of Moonee, an act that highlights the systematic limits set in place to control the actions of the lower class.  Law enforcement steps into Moonee’s family unit to disrupt and displace, rather than seek to understand and aid Moonee and her mother.  The systems in place in regards to poverty allow the cycle to continue without interruption, thus encouraging this form of oppression to thrive within societal confines.