Black Tea

Thirtysomething Aya is one of many women about to be married during a grand wedding ceremony in the Ivorian capital Abidjan. But instead of saying yes, she explains to her husband-to-be that he deserves a better wife, after which she leaves. She ends up in the Chinese city of Guangzhou where she has found work in a tea shop. Owner Cai is not only her boss, he is also her mentor who initiates her into the world of tea making. The bond between the two grows stronger, the two eventually becoming lovers. But Cai is already married to Ying, with whom he has a son.

How does an African woman survive in China? At first glance, this story seems to be an exploration of cultural identity, but Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako (Timbuktu) stresses that his main aim is to show what binds us together, regardless of your origin: the desire to live a nice and happy life.