Abderrahmane Sissako’s ‘Black Tea’ Debuts at NYC African Film Fest with Mixed Reactions

Acclaimed filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako returned to the screen with Black Tea, premiering at the 2025 New York African Film Festival. Known for masterpieces like Timbuktu and Bamako, Sissako teams with co-writer Kessen Tall to explore a modern, international love story—one that begins with visual elegance but falters under narrative weight. The film opens with a striking image: an ant crawling up a wedding gown, setting the tone for a tale of cross-cultural romance. But what begins with promise unravels into a story crowded with subplots and characters that obscure its emotional core. While Black Tea may not reach the heights of Sissako’s previous work, its ambition and global perspective still offer film lovers moments of insight and aesthetic beauty worth experiencing.