Sean Baker’s films, across his young career, has succeeded in spotlighting important stories and complex topics. Tangerine told the story of trans sex workers in L.A, while his recent hit The Florida Project zoned in on the ‘hidden homeless’ plight of families that live on the outskirts of Disneyland. Now the director is researching for a new film on the U.S opioid crisis.
As reported by ScreenDaily, he detailed at the International Film Festival Rotterdam that it will “likely be a character-driven drama set against the backdrop of the current opioid epidemic in the US”.
New York non-profit film company Cinereach have given Baker a grant for a research “road trip”, so he can explore the United State’s current crisis. As the Independent reports, the film could take place in West Virginia, a state that has some of the worst examples of opioid abuse.
Statistics show on average 115 opioid overdose deaths a day in the states. The opioid epidemic has been particularly deadly among adults in their 20s and early 30s.
Baker added that he wasn’t sure whether he would shoot the film on iPhone, like he did with Tangerine. He also hadn’t confirmed whether he would cast unknown actors like he did with both his previous films, where many were spotted on Instagram.
For now, there’s no release date or schedule for the film. “My agent and my producers have been pushing me to get to the next thing but to tell you the truth I just want to take it slowly,” he said. “There’s no reason to rush except to pay the bills.”
