IMDb RATING
7.1/10
3.7K
YOUR RATING
A young black lesbian filmmaker probes into the life of The Watermelon Woman, a 1930s black actress who played 'mammy' archetypes.A young black lesbian filmmaker probes into the life of The Watermelon Woman, a 1930s black actress who played 'mammy' archetypes.A young black lesbian filmmaker probes into the life of The Watermelon Woman, a 1930s black actress who played 'mammy' archetypes.
- Awards
- 4 wins
Cheryl Clarke
- June Walker
- (as Cheryl Clark)
Kat L Robertson
- Yvette
- (as a different name)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to writer/director Cheryl Dunye, much about the character she plays in the film is autobiographical, but the historical references to the Watermelon Woman are fictional: "The Watermelon Woman came from the real lack of any information about the lesbian and film history of African-American women. Since it wasn't happening, I invented it."
- GoofsCheryl (Cheryl Dunye) appears to make a slight fluff of her lines during a dinner scene with Diana, Tamara and Stacey, saying: "Anyway, Diana, if you came to Philadelphia to shape... escape the cold Chicago winters..."
However, as the dinner conversation is deliberately uncomfortable, this is possibly intended.
- Crazy creditsThe film, which seems to be a documentary about Cheryl's search for the obscure actress who inspired her, ends with these printed words: "Sometimes you have to create your own history. The Watermelon Woman is fiction. Cheryl Dunye, 1996"
- Alternate versionsIn 2016, director Cheryl Dunye's landmark Black Queer Film THE WATERMELON WOMAN was re-released in select theaters and festivals with a pristine 2K HD restoration overseen by the production company 13th Gen, in partnership with Modern Videofilm. The restoration and re-release was sponsored by First Run Features, the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project, and the Toronto International Film Festival. This theatrical tour will be followed by a DVD re-release in early 2017.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema (2006)
Featured review
Not On Any Syrup Bottle
There are hundreds upon thousands of lesbian movies, and the majority are labelled "Adult". Name one lesbian movie about black women that isn't pornographic? Watching this one was something I could relate to. Finally, a movie touching on black history, interracial attraction, stereotypes, and the fictional day-in-the-life of an aspiring film-maker. More original than most, speaking as a black woman. Excuse the bad technology, and you've got a story about a woman researching her black history and getting laid in the process! Maybe she couldn't get the rights to do "The Aunt Jemima Story". You know, that black maid who's face stared back at you from the pancake box, having gone through a few make-overs through the years? There's even a scene where Cheryl holds up movie stills of black actresses playing the usual slave/maid who become unknowns in the process. Well, this is one important movie for me, and I hope more people appreciate this as they listen to Cheryl's closing monologue. Now this movie deserves a remake!
6/10
6/10
helpful•279
- lovejam
- Dec 10, 2002
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $300,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,989
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $774
- Nov 13, 2016
- Gross worldwide
- $1,989
- Runtime1 hour 25 minutes
- Color
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