Curly Sue Found Dead

Curly Sue Found Dead reworks the male-dominated narrative of organized crime in America by creating the story of one woman: Susanna Crespo AKA Curly Sue. She thrives in 1980s Miami, the height of cocaine trafficking, and the Miami Drug Wars. While exploring the glamorization of “the gangster” through pop culture, the narrative branding of props and evidence brings this character to life. She is the confident, fiery owner of The Pink Palms, a popular hip hop/Latin club in Miami Beach, Florida. Her involvement in the corrupt entertainment and nightlife scene attracts high-profile guests, and her growing success increases tensions with opposing families in the cocaine business. After a job gone wrong, going up against the notorious Griselda Blanco leads to her demise.

Cinematography and lighting by Sonya Norko. Archival footage provided by MDC's Wolfson Campus, the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives.