Love is Sweet eh! presents: The Watermelon Woman

Come fall in love with the first American feature directed by an ‘out’ Black lesbian. Cheryl Dunye's The Watermelon Woman (1996) is considered a landmark film of the 1990s New Queer Cinema movement.

Moving between fiction and quasi-documentary, Dunye plays a version of herself, a young woman working in a video rental shop in Philidelphia. Cheryl becomes obsessed with the identity of a Black actor who plays only 'mammy' roles in fictional films, and is credited only as 'The Watermelon Woman'. Determined to uncover this mysterious woman Cheryl, both the filmmaker and her on-screen alias, masterfully explores the underrepresnted intersections of the Black and queer experiences.

At its heart The Watermelon Woman is a romantic comedy but it bends the stereotypes of the genre, instead offering a socio-political analysis and explorations of race, sexuality and history.

It's proper living room vibes here, come and get comfy, tea, coffee and matcha included in your ticket. Complimentary fruit and pastries available.

About Love is Sweet, eh!
First manifested as a curated programme at Glasgow Film Festival 2024, Love is Sweet eh! celebrates love in Black cinema.

About Number 22
A new, micro community-hub, number 22 is a space to hang out, meet a like mind or two and connect to sense of neighbourhood and radical care.

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Host or Publisher Love is Sweet eh!