- Welcome to Independent Lens.
I'm Pete Schwaba, host of PBS Wisconsin's Director's Cut.
Pahokee, Florida is known for three things:
family, football, and history,
and it is our setting for tonight's film, Outta the Muck.
The town of Pahokee is set
on the southeast shore of Lake Okeechobee
and is referred to by local residents simply as the Muck.
The word Pahokee is a Seminole word
that literally means "grassy waters,"
but with an elevation of only 13 feet above sea level,
its mineral-rich dark soil is what causes the muck.
It is also perfect for growing sugarcane,
along with a host of other fruits.
The city itself is like a supporting character
in the film.
Pahokee, despite having just 5,000 residents,
has a fairly high crime rate and more than its share of poverty.
But the town also has a rich history,
an incredible sense of community,
and strong, vibrant Black families.
The film focuses on the Dean family,
who has called the area home for seven generations.
It's through the Deans that we get an intimate portrait
of this proud rural community.
The film is co-directed by Ira McKinley and Bhawin Suchak.
McKinley is related to the Dean family
and decided that this unique slice of Americana
should be immortalized on film.
His co-director Suchak says the film
is like an invitation by McKinley
to give the rest of the world a view of Ira's unique community.
As I mentioned earlier,
the game of football plays a big role in the film.
Pahokee has sent hundreds of athletes
to professional sports teams
and dozens of these blue chip athletes
to the National Football League.
The story throughout the film follows the local football team
all the way to what they hope will be on undefeated season.
But no spoilers.
Some films cannot be defined in one line on a poster
or with just a few words.
With certain documentaries,
you just get pulled into the film
and become part of the aesthetic.
Outta the Muck is just such a film
and it starts now on PBS Wisconsin,
your home for independent film.