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Black Tea

Play trailer 1:36 Poster for Black Tea Now Playing 1h 51m Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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38% Tomatometer 16 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
After saying no on her wedding day, Aya leaves the Ivory Coast for a new life in the buzzing "Chocolate City" in Guangzhou, China. In this district where the African diaspora meets the Chinese culture, she gets hired in a tea boutique owned by Cai, a Chinese man. In the secrecy of the back shop, Cai decides to initiate Aya to the tea ceremony. Through the teaching of this ancient art, their relationship slowly turns into tender love. But for their burgeoning passion to lean on trust, they must let go of their burdens and face their past.
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Critics Reviews

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Robert Daniels RogerEbert.com There are few sights more shocking than a talented veteran filmmaker totally whiffing: That rare surprise occurred with director Abderrahmane Sissako’s jumbled and misjudged romance “Black Tea.” Feb 24, 2024 Full Review Rachel Pronger IndieWire For all its comforting warmth, Sissako’s film ultimately lacks the deeper complexity of its namesake, even if watching it is often as soothing as sipping a freshly brewed cup. Rated: B- Feb 23, 2024 Full Review Jonathan Romney Screen International However appealing the blend sometimes is, this wildly eccentric film ultimately feels a few leaves short of a pot. Feb 22, 2024 Full Review Nairon Santos de Morais Loud and Clear Reviews Abderrahmane Sissako shows he knows what he’s doing with this Wong Kar-Wai pastiche and creates a beautiful aesthetic exercise that envelops you in its warm images. Rated: 3.5/5 May 13, 2025 Full Review Sarah Vincent Boston Movie News At its best, it is a story about (heteronormative) love and seamless belonging where differences only enhance life, not divide it. At its worst, dangerous behavior is like a wolf in Benetton clothing May 12, 2025 Full Review Ethan Vestby The Film Stage A western viewer ascribing traditional demands to Sissako’s cinema is, for a number of reasons, likely wrongheaded, but one still feels something lodged too awkwardly between two worlds of film from it––something neither rapturous nor penetrating. May 8, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews
Black Tea

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Cast & Crew

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Abderrahmane Sissako

Director

Nina Melo

Aya

Han Chang

Cai

Wu Ke-Xi

Ying

Michael Chang

Li-Ben

Isabelle Kabano

Actor
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Black Tea

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Black Tea

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Movie Info

Synopsis After saying no on her wedding day, Aya leaves the Ivory Coast for a new life in the buzzing "Chocolate City" in Guangzhou, China. In this district where the African diaspora meets the Chinese culture, she gets hired in a tea boutique owned by Cai, a Chinese man. In the secrecy of the back shop, Cai decides to initiate Aya to the tea ceremony. Through the teaching of this ancient art, their relationship slowly turns into tender love. But for their burgeoning passion to lean on trust, they must let go of their burdens and face their past.
Director
Abderrahmane Sissako
Screenwriter
Abderrahmane Sissako, Kessen Tall
Distributor
Cohen Media Group
Genre
Drama, Romance
Original Language
Chinese
Release Date (Theaters)
May 9, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 51m