The Watermelon Woman (1996)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Cheryl Dunye

Writer:

Cheryl Dunye (writer)

Release Date:

5 March 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Cheryl is young, Black, and lesbian, working in Philadelphia with her best friend Tamara and consumed...

Plot Keywords:

Lesbian | Video Store | Interracial | Nudity | Film Making

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Cheryl Dunye	...	Cheryl
Guinevere Turner	...	Diana
Valarie Walker	...	Tamara
Lisa Marie Bronson	...	Fae 'The Watermelon Woman' Richards
Cheryl Clarke	...	June Walker
Irene Dunye	...	Herself
Brian Freeman	...	Lee Edwards
Camille Paglia	...	Herself
Sarah Schulman	...	CLIT Archivist
V.S. Brodie	...	Karaoke Singer
Shelley Olivier	...	Annie Heath
Toshi Reagon	...	Street Magician
Emmy Collins	...	Video Browser
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mickey Goldhaber	...	Featured
K. Brent Hill	...	J.J. Liberty
Gail Lloyd	...	Diana's Black Date
Kat Robertson	...	Yvette

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Dancing Girl

Trivia:

The scene from the faux-archival 1930s film, "Plantation Memories", was directed by Douglas McKeown and co-written by McKeown and Cheryl Dunye

Quotes:

Cheryl: Hey! Hey, you're Martin Pumphrey!
Street Magician: No ma'am, I'm a magician.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema (2006)

obsession - super sweet!

There are themes and issues in this film that are obvious, but well defined and used - lesbianism, racism, interracial relationships.... and the ups and downs of working in a video rental shop. All that aside, I have to say that, for me "The Watermelon Woman" is all about obsession. Ah - obsession! The obsession in this case is our leading lady's obsession with a marginal black actress in black & white movies of days long gone by, credited in the films on as "The Watermelon Woman." Who was she... what was her real name... why was she someone to obsess upon? Our lovely leading lesbian begins a journey of body and mind to find the truth of the Watermelon Woman and her life. I tell you obsession is a wondrous thing... when you find something (or, if you're me, many things) to obsess on, your life will be filed with the richness of discovery.. and you'll never be a boring party guest. So, have a look at "The Watermelon Woman," who knows you may just find yourself obsessed. Super sweet.