The Watermelon Woman

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The Watermelon Woman

1996,

1h 21m,

Comedy/

LGBTQ+

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Watchlist

Watchlist

92%

66 Reviews

Tomatometer

55%

500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

66 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

An aspiring black lesbian filmmaker researches an obscure 1940s black actress billed as the Watermelon Woman.

Critics Consensus

An auspicious debut for writer-director Cheryl Dunye, The Watermelon Woman tells a fresh story in wittily irreverent style.

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Andrea Thompson

Chicago Reader

Jun 21, 2023

They don’t get much more groundbreaking than Cheryl Dunye’s landmark of queer cinema.

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Rosalind Bentley

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Jan 22, 2022

3/5

It gives us something we don't see much of in film -- young black women claiming their space and sharing it with the rest of us.

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Achy Obejas

Chicago Tribune

Jan 22, 2022

3.5/4

The Watermelon Woman is quite smart, remarkably sophisticated filmmaking for a first-time director.

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Oct 19, 2026

4/4

... a cinematic landmark of sly formal sophistication.

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Annlee Ellingson

CineWomen

Jul 29, 2024

A quarter of a century later, The Watermelon Woman suggests that ’90s indie is a genre unto itself. ... For those who came of age as cineastes during that era, it’s a nostalgic nod to that gritty aesthetic and an important milestone in New Queer Cinema.

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Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

Feb 12, 2024

Blending the line between history, fiction, and myth, the film highlights the importance of seeing ourselves reflected in the past.

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Poe W

Feb 26, 2017

The content was very interesting. The film itself wasn't. The only one who could act was the Tamara character. This looks like a well shot home movie with characters who couldn't act all that well. apparently the main characters mother and another elderly woman are the only two straight people in Philadelphia. But she did have a great topic. Had this just remained a documentary style as she intended it would have been much better.

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Cheryl Dunye

Director

Cheryl Dunye

Cheryl

Guinevere Turner

Diana

Valarie Walker

Tamara

Lisa Marie Bronson

Fae "The Watermelon Woman" Richards

Toshi Reagon

Street Magician

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Synopsis

An aspiring black lesbian filmmaker researches an obscure 1940s black actress billed as the Watermelon Woman.

Director: Cheryl Dunye
Producer: Barry Swimar
Screenwriter: Cheryl Dunye
Distributor: First Run
Production Co: Dancing Girl
Genre: Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 5, 1996, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Nov 10, 2016
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 19, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.5K
Runtime: 1h 21m

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