A short film by
Imani Lukunku
Tender
Headed
Two estranged friends. One hair appointment.
Words left unsaid.
Two estranged friends. One hair appointment.
Words left unsaid.
Having a sensitive scalp; easily pained by the process of hair braiding or styling. Also: emotionally vulnerable; sensitive to the weight of unresolved things.
Black American vernacular · used here as metaphor
Official Trailer
2026Director's Statement
This film is cozy, even in its awkward and tension-filled moments. I want to leave viewers with some sort of retrospection, whether through the desire to reconnect with old friends, or to say what they never got the chance to say. At the core of this story is a tale about vulnerability and the fragile masks of identity we hide behind.
— Imani Lukunku, Writer & Director
About the Film
Two estranged friends are brought back together by one of the most intimate and stressful situations: a hair braiding appointment.
A relatable tale of friendships that ended without closure, Tender Headed invites viewers to sit with the words they never said in friendships, romances, and the relationships that shaped them most.
Film Stills
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The Filmmaker
Writer & Director
Imani is a writer and director whose work centers people on a proverbial edge — of an identity crisis, major change or moral gray line and the messy human way they claw their way through. Her storytelling blends sharp emotional truth with chaotic playfulness, living in the space where laughter and ache coexist.
A graduate of the University of Southern California's Screenwriting Program, Imani has worked across both scripted and unscripted development, lending creative support from pitch to production.
Screenings
August 2026 · New York Premiere
Hip Hop Film Festival
Dobbs Ferry, New York
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