Cherry Lemonade Review (Tribeca Film Festival 2021)

By Nadya Martinez

On a hot summer day in the hood, a Black girl (Eris Baker) learns to take the lead on her own terms. *Part of the Juneteenth programming.

CAST: Eris Baker, Skylan Brooks, Chance Harlem Jr, Alexander Jones III, Skyler Priest, Meagan Harmon.

Director: Aisha Ford

Cherry lemonade is a short film directed by Aisha Ford. It is an 11-minute film that follows our main protagonist a young black girl in the day of the hood. Phoenix who was played really well by Eris Baker follows after her brother after he breaks a promise.  This leads to certain situations for Phoenix where she has to do some self-discovery and self-realization of the world and the environment around her, with a runtime of 11 minutes I was amazed how much characterization we got from the main character Phoenix.

The runtime allows us to have a main focus of phoenix and what her motives are and how she's reacting to the situations around her. The film is shot very well giving you and authentic raw look at a hot summer day in neighborhoods like this but also a coming of age story for Phoenix. Director Aisha Ford does a great job of giving you and experience characters with emotional depth and at any face raw look add an environment and how people deal with it. this is definitely what are my favorite shorts this Tribeca Film Festival for 2021.