BLACK SNOW

As fires from sugarcane burning in the Florida Everglades blanket low-income communities, residents take on the powerful sugar industry, politicians, and the state itself. Black Snow is an exploration of strength, resilience, and the pursuit of environmental equality.

Nestled by Lake Okeechobee, the Glades region houses three major US sugar producers. During harvesting season, sugarcane is burned in the fields to remove excess foliage, making it easier – and cheaper – for the harvester machines to collect. But some experts and residents fear the smoke exposure is causing unintended health impacts.

Black Snow explores the lives of residents in Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay, collectively known as the Glades communities. These predominantly Black and Hispanic populations bear the brunt of ash and smoke from nearby sugarcane burns. The documentary contrasts the residents' lived experiences with the sugar industry's assertions of maintaining clean air.

Each year, more than 400,000 acres are burned over eight months, yet not everyone is affected by the smoke. In the 1990s, affluent residents of nearby Wellington raised similar complaints about ash and smoke damaging their property. They successfully campaigned for regulations, leading to a ban on burns when winds blew eastward toward their homes. However, few protections were extended to the lower-income communities to the west when winds blew in their direction.

In 2022, a Florida State University study established a connection between sugarcane burning and premature deaths among Glades residents. Meanwhile, lawsuits against sugarcane burning have failed.

While some are calling for the sugar industry to adopt alternative farming methods, the industry defends its practices, citing data that shows air quality in the Glades is better than in more densely populated urban areas.

Black Snow captures the contrast between the sugar industry's defense of its practices and the growing call from some Glades residents for “the last burn season.”