The Watermelon Woman (1996)

Sapphic Culture Club

A film within a film within a film, The Watermelon Woman is a brilliant example of New Queer Cinema. Lightheartedly combining camcorder, 16mm, and self-made "found" footage, Cheryl Dunye gives voice and life to lost history 23 years before we see something similar come to life with Marianne in Portrait of a Lady on Fire. "What??" you say. "YES." we respond. Let's talk about it!

And...

• The 90s vibes! 🔥

• The (RIDICULOUS) controversy that followed 📰

• The humor!! 🎯

• How the "found" footage is a whole *additional* incredible work of art on its own 😭

• The C enter for L esbian I nformation and T echnology 📸 (I'm afraid to write out the acronym because of content filters)

• SO MANY LESBIANS 💕 [There are more lesbians depicted in The Watermelon Woman than in ANY OF THE OTHER MOVIES WE'RE COVERING THIS SEASON.]

BONUS: we reveal the 5 E C R E T L E 5 8 I A N C 0 D E 🤫

Episode Transcript

The Watermelon Woman at 25: the Black lesbian classic that wears its brilliance lightly

City Arts & Lectures interview with Cheryl Dunye

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