Private Project

Tongue In Cheek

LOGLINE
Unemployed Oak Must Figure Out A Quick Scheme If She Is To Remain In Her Apartment.

SYNOPSIS
A comedy following Oak. Misogynoir is not on her side and conditions don’t help with only 3 days to pay her overdue West Adams, Los Angeles rent. Urgency is heightened with the constant sexual harassment from her white male apartment manager. Millie, her ride and die, also a monoracial Black woman with natural tightly coiled hair, comes up with a pop up sex work business. Its success is first put through the wringer after swipes of internet creeps. Then, a match with Matt, an Asian man who checks all the boxes. Until, the encounter leaves Oak questioning her entire self value, being amongst the most educated demographic in The United States, yet, faced with giving fellatio in exchange for money.

  • Tai Brown
    Director
  • Tai Brown
    Writer
  • Tai Brown
    Producer
  • Tai Brown
    Key Cast
    "Oak Abimbola"
    The Neighborhood (CBS), Grand Hotel (ABC), Jane The Virgin (CW), The Divinity Streak (Netflix) and Knight into Day (Netflix).
  • Lina Green
    Key Cast
    "Millie"
    Grey's Anatomy (ABC), The Book of Queer (Discovery+) and The Perfect Find (Netflix).
  • Hayden Hiebert
    Key Cast
    "Will"
    King Richard (Warner Bros.) and Sex Sent Me to the ER.
  • Reuben Uy
    Key Cast
    "Matt"
    Bosch (Amazon), Squid Game (Netflix) and Velvet Sky.
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Comedy
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 21 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 25, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    6,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • The Filmmaker's Space Film Festival

    Best Short Debut Filmmaker
  • Critics' Choice International Film Festival

    Best First Time Filmmaker
  • New York Movie Awards

    Best First Time Director
  • Seattle Black Film Festival
    Seattle, WA
    United States
    April 22, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Oregon Short Film Festival
    Portland, OR
    United States
    May 29, 2023
    Best Comedy Film Award / Official Selection
  • Nevada Women's Film Festival
    Las Vegas
    United States
    June 25, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Newark International Film Festival
    Newark, New Jersey
    United States
    June 24, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Richmond International Film Festival Screenplay Competition
    Richmond, Virginia
    United States
    Semi-Finalist
  • Studio City Film Festival
    Studio City, California
    United States
    September 1, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Diamond State Black Film Festival
    Wilmington, Delaware
    United States
    September 21, 2023
    Official Selection
  • International Film Arts & Hearts Film Festival
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    September 28, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Voices Rising Film Festival
    Freeport, Long Island, NY
    United States
    October 15, 2023
    Honorable Mention
  • The Independent LGBTQ+ Film Festival
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    February 15, 2024
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • Love Wins Channel
    Distributor
Director Biography - Tai Brown

Tai Brown made her network television debut as Addie, a recurring role on the ABC drama Grand Hotel with executive producer Eva Longoria. Tai Brown is starring in two Netflix projects streaming now. She is an award winning multi-hyphenate Black woman filmmaker, the executive producer, director, writer and lead of Tongue in Cheek short film, with a distribution deal, streaming on the Love Wins Channel. Tai is the Founder and CEO of Jan 22 Productions which centers medium to dark skinned Black women with natural tightly coiled hair in TV and film.

Tai Brown is a Jamaican American actress. Born in the Bronx and raised in a Caribbean New York City home. She is a conversational Italian speaker after living in Florence, Italy. A former member of the professional dance company Jr. K, performing at 3 consecutive Puerto Rican Day parades. Since a young age she has performed in both community theater and off-Broadway productions, including producing, directing, writing, and starring in Borderline Bitter.

Graduate of the Fame school Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and Syracuse University Drama with a Bachelor of Science and Health Minor. She has appeared in numerous national commercials. Tai began her television and movie career through the independent film circuit in Los Angeles, starring in Semblance and My Name Here, along with TV roles on BET, Good Trouble and The Neighborhood. She has also been featured on The CW critically acclaimed TV series Jane the Virgin.

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