Watch Tigermilch

Tigermilch, a German film from 2017, tells the story of two best friends, Nini (Flora Li Thiemann) and Jameelah (Emily Kusche), who are on the cusp of adulthood in a gritty Berlin neighborhood. Nini and Jameelah are a support system for each other, navigating the tumultuous terrain of adolescence together. Jameelah is an immigrant from Iraq, and Nini is a German-born white girl with a single mother who worked hard to provide for her daughter.

When the summer begins, Nini and Jameelah are looking forward to soaking up the sun and enjoying their last summer before becoming adults. They spend their days hanging out, eating Tigermilch (a Vietnamese concoction of milk, sugar, and orange soda), and talking about their futures. But as they begin to experiment with their sexuality and become closer to the wrong crowd, their friendship is put to the test.

The girls make some reckless choices as they try to escape their mundane lives, including stealing from a store and hanging out with a rough crowd. As they become more involved with these dangerous people, they soon realize that their actions have repercussions that could affect their futures forever.

Nini and Jameelah's friendship is put to the ultimate test when Jameelah's brother Khalil (David Ali Rashed) returns from his training in Iraq as a soldier. Nini, who has a crush on Khalil, is drawn to him even though he has a cynical view of the future. Jameelah is struggling to fit in between her German and Iraqi cultures and is grappling with being a Muslim in Germany. As Khalil becomes increasingly involved with a group of violent men, his behavior becomes more erratic, and Nini and Jameelah find themselves in the middle of a criminal investigation.

As the plot progresses, the girls learn that life is never black and white, and that sometimes the people we trust the most can turn out to be the ones who hurt us the most. They must navigate the tangled web of family secrets, betrayal, and identity crises as they try to maintain their friendship and protect themselves from the harsh realities of the world.

Overall, Tigermilch is a powerful and thought-provoking film about the complexities of teenage friendships and the struggles of growing up in a world that can be both beautiful and brutal. The film also tackles important issues such as immigration, identity, and Islamophobia. The strong performances of the young actresses bring depth and nuance to their characters, making the film a poignant exploration of the highs and lows of teenagehood. Tigermilch is a must-see for anyone who has ever had a best friend, and who has ever struggled to find their place in the world.