We like Willem Dafoe all angry and mean. But, we also love Willem Dafoe all nurturing and caring. Remember Oliver Stone’s Platoon? Great hero in that. Same goes for his unexpected role in The Boondock Saints. So, naturally, we’re a little excited to see his more humanistic turn in Sean Baker’s highly anticipated follow-up to 2015’s Tangerine: The Florida Project.

Set in Miami, the alternative coming-of-age film follows a six-year-old named Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), who lives with her mother Halley (Bria Vinaite) in a week-to-week motel on the fringe of society. Those who saw Tangerine can attest to Baker’s skill at drawing the beauty from a miserable situation and judging from the first trailer above, that’s exactly what he did again.

Here’s the official synopsis:

“Warm, winning and gloriously alive, Sean Baker’s The Florida Project is a deeply moving and unforgettably poignant look at childhood.

Set on a stretch of highway just outside the imagined utopia of Disney World, The Florida Project follows six-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn Prince in a stunning breakout turn) and her rebellious mother Halley (Bria Vinaite, another major discovery) over the course of a single summer. The two live week to week at “The Magic Castle,” a budget motel managed by Bobby (a career-best Willem Dafoe), whose stern exterior hides a deep reservoir of kindness and compassion.

Despite her harsh surroundings, the precocious and ebullient Moonee has no trouble making each day a celebration of life, her endless afternoons overflowing with mischief and grand adventure as she and her ragtag playmates—including Jancey, a new arrival to the area who quickly becomes Moonee’s best friend—fearlessly explore the utterly unique world into which they’ve been thrown. Unbeknownst to Moonee, however, her delicate fantasy is supported by the toil and sacrifice of Halley, who is forced to explore increasingly dangerous possibilities in order to provide for her daughter.

With The Florida Project, Sean Baker gives life and a voice to a community rarely seen on screen. Through the winsome eyes and pained glances of Moonee, Halley, and Bobby, Baker has created a spellbinding and transformative portrait of contemporary lives lived in the margins that are otherwise too easily forgotten. The Florida Project declares, boldly and proudly, that anywhere can be a Magic Kingdom – it just depends on how you see it.

And here’s its gorgeous poster:

Mark it on the calendar: The Florida Project hits theaters on October 6th.