TEA: A Short Film
Tea is about two women, with similarities beyond belief, checking into the same hotel. I wanted to use my experience of being mistaken for the wrong black girl for this film because it is more common than you would think. Truthfully, 2020 has been a tough year for the black community. In order to relax my mind, I wanted to create a film that did not carry the same trauma that I, and others, certainly carry every day. I truly believe that issues such as colorism, fetishizing, and prejudice can be tackled in a way that is not traumatic to the viewer or creator. These issues are more than important and the visualization of such issues does not always have to be shocking or nauseating — we have 400 years to look back upon for that.
My film is not only about mistaken identity, but it is about what can occur through an annoying, and often frustrating experience:
- The wrong names I have been called simply because of my skin color.
- Graded papers teachers have handed me only to discover that the paper was not mine; It was the paper of the only other black girl in my class.
- Hearing over and over again, “but you two look just alike!” when you and the other person look nothing alike besides your shared skin color.
- Or my favorite: “Weren't you that black girl dancing on the table at McDonald's at 2 am last night?”
All of these instances are, quite frankly, annoying. But, what if, just for a moment, something magically incredible can arise out of pure ignorance? That is what my film is about.
You can watch my film Tea here:
