The Watermelon Woman (1996)

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

Hang out with us on Instagram 📷 and Twitter 🦆! 

---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sapphiccultureclub/message