Square Grouper: Godfathers of Ganja

Invited

The insider’s nickname for bales of marijuana smuggled via the waterways of Florida’s Atlantic coast, “Square Grouper” was the region’s cottage industry in the 1970s and ‘80s. Filmmaker Billy Corben (ESPN 30 for 30: The U) revisits the locale and documents stories from a handful of eccentric smugglers about the raucous era in which their enterprises flourished. Told in three chapters by the subjects themselves, the film vividly captures the spirit of the rebellious and innovative outlaws. In one chapter, a Coptic Church transforms its island sanctuary into a haven for smokers and dealers who prevail in a bid to legalize their use of marijuana as a religious sacrament. In another chapter, residents of Everglades City recall colorful tales of piracy and the crucial role of South Florida’s myriad canals in their smuggling escapades. You’ll also meet members of the highly-organized Black Tuna Gang, led by impresario Robert Platshorn, a.k.a Bobby Tuna, the US’s longest-serving marijuana prisoner.  TM

Director

Billy Corben

Producers

Lindsay Snell, Alfred Spellman, Billy Corben

Executive Producers

Todd Michael Glaser, Robert Kahn, Dudley Whitman, Todd Whitman

Editor

Jorge Diaz

Cinematographers

Randy Valdes, Matt Staker, Jordy Klein, Ralf Gonzalez, Benjamin Rabbers

Release Year

2010

Festival Year

2011

Country

United States

Run Time

101 minutes