This is the first short film I shot, wrote, directed, and edited in Howard’s MFA Film Program. Also the first project I shot on 16mm film. I finally got it uploaded to my computer after losing all the Final Cut files for it.. It’s always good to revisit past work for insight and progress. The synopsis/summary is below. Share thoughts.
***The awesome music is by none other than Steve Sampling
*** Shout out to Monique: the best AD ever, Anthony: the best Set designer ever, and Vincent: the “lifesaver”
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LYE intertwines beauty and delusion, glossy images in magazines with one girl’s imagination, forcing us to consider the appeal and fixation with straight manes.
This is a story about a highly imaginative black girl who is obsessed with images of Black Women with straight hair that she sees in magazines, and especially that of the “Pretty -n-Silky” relaxer advertisement. She undergoes her first perm, which is traumatic, and realizes that the experience, and the road to becoming “Pretty-n-Silky” wasn’t what she envisioned.
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sweet potato pie Press 
I love Lye! There are parts where she really brought me back: when she is sitting in that chair waiting for the perm to be washed out, the faces that she makes are classic! I had to laugh out loud a few times because her faces are so real. I love this! Very important work! Thanks for sharing and for the shout out!
[…] person inside an out. I first met her on set of an independent film we worked on together called “Lye” produced by Nijla Mumin. You can read more about why Tigist is worthy of recognition here in […]