For decades, the smuggling era of Everglades City and Chokoloskee has mostly lived in quiet conversations and local lore.

Now, some of the people who lived through it are speaking publicly.

A new documentary, Outlaws of the Everglades, features firsthand accounts from local fishermen, families, and journalists who witnessed the smuggling operations that unfolded in the Ten Thousand Islands during the 1970s and 1980s.

Set in Everglades City and Chokoloskee, the film explores how a number of longtime commercial fishermen — many of whom had worked these waters for generations — found themselves facing difficult economic choices as fishing regulations tightened and traditional livelihoods became harder to sustain.

For some, the decision that followed would change the community forever.

The documentary includes interviews with a number of people connected to Everglades City, Chokoloskee, and the Ten Thousand Islands, including Kent Daniels, Darrel Daniels, Louis Daniels, Stanford Daniels, Joyce Daniels, Bobby Weeks, Tim Chapman, Ron Curry, Steve Markley, Gary McMillin, Jack Shealy, Jeff Whichello, Betty Campbell, and Robert Macomber — all sharing their memories and firsthand experiences from that time.

Journalist and author Carl Hiaasen also appears in the film, helping provide broader context for what was happening in Southwest Florida during that era.

Filming took place over several years throughout Southwest Florida, including locations in the Everglades backcountry and the Ten Thousand Islands. The tight-knit communities of Everglades City and Chokoloskee are known for their privacy, and stories from that time have rarely been shared publicly.

The documentary runs about 71 minutes and will make its debut at the 2026 Gasparilla International Film Festival in Tampa, where it will compete in both the Grand Jury and Audience Award documentary categories.

For now, the trailer offers an intriguing glimpse into a chapter of Everglades history that many have only heard about in rumors and quiet conversations over the years.

What stands out most are the people willing to speak up and share their experiences on camera. Thanks to them, we may finally begin to understand the full story behind a time that has long been talked about — but rarely told publicly.

We hope the film finds its way to the big screen for more audiences soon and wish it great success in the competition.