Film-maker Aisha Ford’s short film CHERRY LEMONADE focuses on the world of a young girl and her life within a lower-income neighborhood.
Film And TV Now spoke with the film-maker about the work and its’ context.
FILM AND TV NOW: We understand that you are very much interested in making cinematic stories based on your own childhood. What fascinates you specifically about your own experience and of other people in general?
AISHA FORD: What fascinates me specifically about my own experience is that I grew up as a kid who was forced to make adult decisions early on. My childhood was pretty rough for me and I think there are a lot of people who can relate to that.
As a film-maker, I’m attracted to characters that I can relate to–their emotions, their goals and their identities. I want to create stories that are rooted in my truth.
FTVN: What was the start off point for this story and short film?
AF: Growing up in a lower-class neighborhood, the youngest girl in a family of boys, I had to learn early on how to hold my own.
I remembered the beauty and the fun of my old hometown, but I also remembered the dangers too. As a young girl, I didn’t know what opportunities awaited me outside of my small community. But the lessons I learned there would help me take hold of them. I always felt as though I had to learn how to defend myself because of the threat of dangerous situations.
As a film-maker, I yearn to bring those lessons to the big screen and make films that represent the community and home I remember in a way that champions its complexity and authenticity. This is the start off point for why I wanted to create Cherry Lemonade—a story about a young girl learning how to hold her own in a world that contains tough (and sometimes violent) men, even when those men present themselves as her protectors.
FTVN: Tell us about your cast.
AF: My main character is Phoenix, played by the wonderful Eris Baker. She is most known for the role of Tess in the award-winning television series This Is Us. It was a wonderful experience working with her and I strongly felt that she understood the character and her motivations.
Skylan Brooks is plays Phoenix’s older brother Kurt. He is also most known for his roles in award-winning television series Empire and Netflix’s The Get Down. Together, their sibling chemistry is what made the film feel very special!
FTVN: Tell us about your production team.
AF: The production team was created with a volunteer crew comprised of 90+% women, women- identifying and gender-nonconforming film-makers, and 50+% BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) film-makers.
FTVN: Where did you shoot and for how long?
AF: I shot in various neighborhoods in Los Angeles for two full production days.
FTVN: You had an interesting cross-section of diversity in your crew. How many people approached you to do the film?
AF: For this project, it was developed by Women in Media. We were strongly encouraged to work with women who were members of this amazing non-profit. Which I think is great because everyone had a chance to volunteer themselves for this project and we had quite a lot!
FTVN: Tribeca and Roxbury are two of the festivals this short will be screening at. How has the festival circuit benefited you?
AF: The festival circuit has granted me exposure to my work, which can open up more opportunities for me to network and potentially fund future projects. Through festivals, I’m able to make more in-person connections with industry film-makers.
FTVN: Tell us about the American Black Film Festival TV series.
AF: The American Black Film Festival TV series, presented by AspireTV, showcases new up-and-coming independent African American films each week. I was very excited when my first short film Wren was invited to screen on their platform to an audience across the country!
FTVN: Tell us about your film-making network and community.
AF: Over the years I have met amazing film-makers and collaborators that I now have the privilege to call my closest friends!
They have been with me through thick and thin and they remain a great source of inspiration. They are friends that I frequently reach out to for advice and discuss working ideas. We even hold each other accountable to finish our projects.
FTVN: You received the BAFTA HBO Scholarship. Tell us about this award and how it has benefitted your career?
AF: The BAFTA HBO Scholarship is awarded to promising students studying a course in film, television or games. It not only provides financial support to the recipient but also mentoring and networking opportunities. BAFTA works together with universities to select the best, brightest and most deserving scholars.
This award has benefited my career by giving me opportunities to attend events and workshops with professional filmmakers. It also gave me access to early screenings with commentary from the filmmakers themselves.
FTVN: What issues and themes would you like to explore in the future?
AF: In the future, I would love to explore themes such as power, perspective and race. As of now, I am working on a short piece that will dive into these themes.
FTVN: How has the current global situation affected your development and evolution as a film-maker?
AF: The current global situation has forced me to internalize my process as a screenwriter and study my craft more. My short production at the time was shut down during the early stages of pandemic and that opened up space for me take on new challenges.
I wanted to stay sharp and focus on developing better nuances in my writing. I think this change in workflow helped shape me into a better writer and never give up.
FTVN: Finally, what are you most proud of about this short?
AF: I am most proud of my cast and crew working as hard as we did to achieve the vision I created. Without them there will be no film and I give them all the praise!
