TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL – Premiering this past weekend at Tribeca, Lemonade Blessing is a coming-of-age drama that blends irreverent humor with sincere spiritual questioning. The feature debut of writer-director Chris Merola follows 15-year-old John Santucci (Jake Ryan), a devout Catholic teen sent to a private religious school by his traditional mother after his parents' divorce.

In a setting shaped by scripture and repression, John meets Lilith (Skye Alyssa Friedman), a rebellious and enigmatic classmate who upends his carefully structured world. As Lilith dares him to defy the very faith he clings to, John is thrust into a crisis of identity and belief, one filled with blasphemous acts masked as romance, awkward first kisses, and a growing tension between sin and self-discovery.

Merola pulls from his own Catholic upbringing to craft a story that feels personal and sharply observed. Jake Ryan’s performance as John anchors the film with warmth, discomfort, and relatability, while Friedman brings a compelling mix of confidence and chaos to Lilith. Together, their chemistry walks a delicate line between adolescent curiosity and emotional chaos.

Visually, the film leans into nostalgic tones and intimate framing, with cinematography by Harrison Kraft that captures both the isolation and awkward beauty of teenage life. Editorially, Lemonade Blessing maintains a confident rhythm, one that juxtaposes spiritual anxiety with the kind of raw, everyday absurdity that defines adolescence.

Though some secondary characters are less developed, the core cast keeps the film emotionally grounded. Jeanine Serralles as John’s mother brings quiet intensity to her role, and supporting appearances from Miles J. Harvey and Michael Oloyede add dimension to the school setting.

Balancing sincerity with satire, Lemonade Blessing is both a critique of religious rigidity and a love letter to awkward teenage years. For viewers raised with similar religious tension, it’s an experience that feels uncomfortably close to home, provocative, nostalgic, and at times deeply tender.

‍