Wade in the Water: Drowning in Racism

Knight Made in MIA Award (Short Film)

From seaweed to lost beach balls, sun-seekers bump into all sorts of surprises swimming along Florida’s iconic beaches. For Black swimmers, however, there’s a complex history floating off Florida’s blue waters — one of segregation and violence, but also one of protest and resistance. That’s what Miami filmmaker Cathleen Dean explores in her new documentary, Wade in The Water: Drowning in Racism. Diving deep into Black Florida’s fight for the right to swim, the film brings to life the 1960s civil rights protests that desegregated the state’s beaches and swimming pools.

Cathleen Dean is an American film director, producer, and photographer who creates innovative work inspired by her experiences in South Florida. Dean approaches her work from an anthropological point of view, aiming to uncover historical truths.

Supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.