Tea (film)
| Tea | |
|---|---|
Official film poster | |
| Directed by | Blake Winston Rice |
| Written by | Blake Winston Rice |
| Produced by | Gabriella Piazza Michael Cejovic Blake Winston Rice |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Matheus Bastos |
| Edited by | Mike O'Brien |
| Music by | Jordan Caiola |
Production companies | |
Release date |
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Running time | 12 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Tea is a 2024 American short drama film written, directed and co-produced by Blake Winston Rice and starring Michael Gandolfini and Olivia Nikkanen. Actress Gabriella Piazza serves as a co-producer, while filmmaker Patty Jenkins serves as an executive producer.[3] It premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2024 to positive reviews from critics.[4]
Premise
While rehearsing asking out the girl of his dreams, a lonely and highly allergic Circuit-Shack employee gets stung in the throat by a hornet.
Cast
- Michael Gandolfini as Nicholaus Steep
- Olivia Nikkanen as Tierney Bayer
- Matt Van Orden as Chris Lense
- Zina Louhaichy as Helene Pendergrass
Release
The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2024 where it competed for the Short Film Palme d'Or, before embarking on a festival run to qualify for the Best Live Action Short Film shortlist for the 97th Academy Awards.[5] The film was released on Vimeo on July 7, 2025 as a "Vimeo Staff Pick."[6]
Reception
Lisette Lanuza Sáenz of Fangirlish wrote "It could have gone for comedy or it could have gone for melodrama. Tea, instead, does neither and it lands firmly in the middle with a very real tale of human connection in the middle of a very scary situation."[7] FilmCarnage.com called it "a sweet and surprisingly charming short film. Taking some of the classic elements of romcoms and coming-of-age flicks and creating something original yet familiar. It’s filled with personality, the directorial style is strong and it has a great colouring. As well as being brought to life by a superb pairing in Michael Gandolfini and Olivia Nikkanen, who create characters you could happily keep watching for a full feature."[8] Ryan Silberstein of Moviejawn wrote "The writing and direction from Blake Rice is as important to Tea's success as Gandolfini’s performance. Rice’s approach to the story emphasizes pathos but also executes the situational irony to maximize comedy. It is sometimes a difficult balance to strike, and many shorts opt to lean into comedy, saving the emotional punch for the final beat, but Rice threads the needle through all 12 minutes here."[9]
Accolades
| Year | Award | Film Festival | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Palme d'Or - Short Film | Cannes Film Festival | Tea | Nominated |
| Best Short Film | Denver Film Festival | Nominated | ||
| Best Narrative Short | Nashville Film Festival | Nominated | ||
| Best Short Narrative | Woodstock Film Festival | Nominated[10] | ||
| Best Short Narrative | Bushwick Film Festival | Won[11][12] | ||
| Best Narrative Short Film | Charlotte Film Festival | Won[13] | ||
| Outstanding Writing - Dramatic | Micheaux Film Festival | Won | ||
| Outstanding Actor - Dramatic - Short Film | Michael Gandolfini | Won | ||
| Best Producer | HollyShorts Film Festival | Gabriella Piazza | Won[14] | |
| Best Director | i-Fest International Film Festival | Blake Winston Rice | Won[15] | |
| 2025 | Best Narrative Short | RiverRun International Film Festival | Tea | Nominated[16] |
| Best Hair & Makeup | Lindsay Cullen | Won |
References
- ^ "Ouat Media".
- ^ "TEA". 24 May 2024.
- ^ "Patty Jenkins Boards Michael Gandolfini-Starring Short 'Tea' as Executive Producer (EXCLUSIVE)". 5 December 2024.
- ^ "Blake Rice's Hornet Sting Drama 'Tea' with Michael Gandolfini Heads to Cannes Short Film Competition". 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Cannes and Oscar Shortlist Film "TEA" Makes Waves at Newport Beach Film Festival – the Los Angeles Post". 15 October 2024.
- ^ "Michael Gandolfini Battles Anxiety and a Hornet Allergy in Short Film 'Tea' – IndieWire". 7 July 2025.
- ^ "'Tea' Review: Blake Rice's Short Comes Straight for the Heart". 15 August 2024.
- ^ "Review: Tea". 11 August 2024.
- ^ "In just twelve minutes, TEA perfectly balances empathy and comedy". 9 October 2024.
- ^ "2024 Award Winners".
- ^ "17th Annual Bushwick Film Festival Announces 2024 Winners | Selig Film News". 2 November 2024.
- ^ "Submit Your Film to Bushwick Film Fest 2025 | Deadline 3/15—The 17th Annual Bushwick Film Festival Announces 2024 Winners".
- ^ "Tea".
- ^ "Announcing the 2024 HollyShorts Award Winners".
- ^ "Selezione Ufficiale 2024". 27 August 2024.
- ^ "RiverRun International Film Festival - AWARDS". 23 May 2022.
External links
- Official Site
- Tea at IMDb