The Watermelon Woman

If the weather is bad, the screening will take place indoors

A landmark of New Queer Cinema, The Watermelon Woman is both a playful and radical intervention into film history. Cheryl Dunye, who stars as herself, embarks on a journey to uncover the forgotten legacy of a fictional Black lesbian actress from the 1930s, known only as “The Watermelon Woman”. Blending fiction and documentary, the film critiques the erasure of Black queer voices in cinema while asserting the importance of self-representation. Dunye challenges dominant historical narratives, exposing the gaps and silences in the archive, while simultaneously crafting a space for Black lesbian identity on screen. (CS, ML)

Cheryl Dunye is a Liberian-American film director, producer, screenwriter, editor and actress. Dunye's work often concerns themes of race, sexuality, and gender, particularly issues relating to black lesbians.