The Watermelon Woman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Watermelon Woman |
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Promotional release poster
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| Directed by | Cheryl Dunye |
| Produced by |
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| Written by | Cheryl Dunye |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Paul Shapiro |
| Cinematography | Michelle Crenshaw |
| Editing by | Cheryl Dunye |
| Distributed by | First Run Features |
| Release date(s) | February 1996 (Berlin International Film Festival) March 5, 1997 (U.S.) |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $300,000 |
The Watermelon Woman is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film. It was written, directed, and edited by Cheryl Dunye. The movie stars Dunye as Cheryl, a young Black woman who works in a video store. She decides to make a film about a Black actress from the 1930s. This actress was known for playing certain roles that were common for Black actresses at the time.
The Watermelon Woman was the first full-length movie directed by a Black woman who also identifies as a lesbian. It is seen as a very important film in a new style of filmmaking. In 2021, the Library of Congress chose the film to be kept safe in the United States National Film Registry. This was because the film is "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Contents
Exploring the Story of the Watermelon Woman
Cheryl is a 25-year-old Black woman living in Philadelphia. She works at a video rental store with her friend Tamara. Cheryl loves old films from the 1930s and 1940s that feature Black actresses. She notices that these actresses often did not get credit for their work.
After watching a movie called Plantation Memories, Cheryl sees a Black actress who is only called "The Watermelon Woman." This actress played a role that was common for Black women in films back then. Cheryl decides to make a documentary to find out who the Watermelon Woman really was.
Cheryl's Search for Answers
Cheryl starts interviewing people for her documentary. Her mother remembers seeing the Watermelon Woman singing in clubs in Philadelphia. Lee Edwards, an expert on African American cinema, also shares what he knows.
Her mother's friend, Shirley, tells Cheryl that the Watermelon Woman's name was Fae Richards. Shirley says that Fae was a woman who loved other women. She used to sing in clubs for her friends. Shirley also thinks Fae might have been in a relationship with Martha Page. Martha was a white director who made Plantation Memories.
Cheryl later starts dating Diana, a white customer from the video store.
Uncovering Fae Richards' Life
After talking to a cultural critic named Camille Paglia, Cheryl visits a center for information about women who love other women. There, she finds a signed photo of Fae Richards. It was signed for Fae's "special friend" June Walker.
Diana helps Cheryl contact Martha Page's sister. However, Martha's sister says that Martha was not a woman who loved other women. Tamara, Cheryl's friend, tells Cheryl that she does not like her relationship with Diana. Tamara thinks Cheryl wants to be white, and Diana is too interested in Black people.
Cheryl finally contacts June Walker. She learns that Fae has passed away. June is a Black woman who was Fae's partner for 20 years. They plan to meet, but June goes to the hospital before they can. June leaves a letter for Cheryl. In the letter, June is upset about rumors that Fae and Martha were a couple. She asks Cheryl to tell the true story of her and Fae's relationship.
Cheryl finishes her documentary. She has separated from Diana and had a disagreement with Tamara. Cheryl never manages to talk to June again.
Meet the Cast
- Cheryl Dunye plays Cheryl, the main character.
- Guinevere Turner plays Diana.
- Valarie Walker plays Tamara.
- Lisa Marie Bronson plays Fae 'The Watermelon Woman' Richards.
- Cheryl Clarke plays June Walker.
- Irene Dunye plays herself.
- Brian Freeman plays Lee Edwards.
- Camille Paglia plays herself.
- Sarah Schulman plays the Archivist at the Center for Lesbian Information and Technology.
- V.S. Brodie plays the Karaoke Singer.
- Robert Reid-Pharr
Making the Film: Production Details
In 1993, Cheryl Dunye was researching for a class on Black film history. She noticed that many Black actresses in early films were not given credit. Dunye decided to create a story to highlight the lives of Black women in these old movies. This idea became The Watermelon Woman.
Dunye said that more than just her film is needed to correct this missing history. She believes there should be more Black main characters in movies. She also feels that many talented Black actresses are still only given certain roles today.
The film's title is a nod to Melvin Van Peebles’s film The Watermelon Man (1970).
Funding and Research
The Watermelon Woman was made with a budget of $300,000. Part of the money came from a grant of $31,500 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The rest came from a fundraiser and donations from Dunye's friends.
A photographer named Zoe Leonard created the fictional photos of Fae Richards. This collection of 78 images showed the made-up life of the actress. These photos were later shown in art galleries and published in a book. Some of the photos were even sold to help raise money for the film.
Dunye did her research at the Lesbian Herstory Archives and the Library of Congress. However, she found that these places did not have the specific information she needed. Also, getting materials from them was too expensive for her film's budget. So, Dunye and Zoe Leonard created new photos and videos that looked like they were from the 1930s.
Film Release and Recognition
The Watermelon Woman first showed at the 1996 Berlin International Film Festival. It was then shown at many other film festivals in 1996 and 1997. These included festivals in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tokyo, and London.
The film was shown on the Sundance Channel on August 12, 1998. Cheryl Dunye was the only female director featured that month. She was also named one of POWER UP's Top-10 Powerful Women in Showbiz in 2008.
The movie was released in the United States on March 5, 1997, by First Run Features. It was released on DVD in 2000 and again in 2018. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Metrograph in New York City showed the film for a week in 2016.
Images for kids
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Promotional release poster
