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