Outta The Muck

With determination and joy, the people of Pahokee rise “outta the muck” to celebrate family history, folklore, and big-time football.

football team in blue jerseys on field
Series
Independent Lens
Premiere Date
February 6, 2023
Funding Initiative
Diversity Development Fund
Open Call
  • Award laurels-r Created with Sketch.
    2022 Indie Memphis Film Festival-Soul of Southern Film Award
  • Award laurels-r Created with Sketch.
    2022 Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival-Best Southern Documentary
  • Nominated laurels-r Created with Sketch.
    2022 New Orleans Film Festival-Special Jury Recognition: Documentary Feature
  • Award laurels-r Created with Sketch.
    2022 RiverRun Int’l Film Festival-Best Directors
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    Director/Producer

    Ira McKinley

    Ira Mckinley is a filmmaker and activist and the director/producer of the award-winning documentary The Throwaways. Outta The Muck tells the story of his family roots in Pahokee, Florida, and is being produced with support from ITVS, Black Public Media, JustFilms, Sundance, and the Southern Documentary Fund.

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    Director/Producer

    Bhawin Suchak

    Bhawin Suchak is an educator, filmmaker, mentor and founding member/co-executive director of Youth FX and NeXt Doc. He is the co-director, producer, cinematographer and editor of Outta The Muck, a feature-length documentary supported by ITVS, JustFilms, Sundance, and Southern Documentary Fund. 

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    Producer

    Tracy Rector

    Tracy Rector approaches storytelling with a passion for amplifying and uplifting Indigenous and BIPOC voices. She is the managing director of storytelling at Nia Tero, and is the co-founder of Longhouse Media, 4th World Media Fellowship, and the founder of Indigenous Showcase.

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    The Film

    This film wades into the rich soil of Pahokee, a rural town on the banks of Lake Okeechobee. Beyond sending over a dozen players to the NFL, the people of Pahokee have a legacy of resilience and achievement in the face of great storms and personal trauma. This fiercely self-determined African American community proudly shares their love and tells their stories.

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