The Watermelon Woman (1996) Film Screening!
About this Event
Femme Films presents... The Watermelon Woman (1996)
Join us for an event at New House Art Space!
Femme Films is a volunteer run community cinema based in the Woking/Guildford area that aims to champion female-led films that go often overlooked in mainstream cinemas.
Cheryl Dunye’s staple of New Queer Cinema is credited as the first feature film written and directed by a black lesbian. The Watermelon Woman stars Dunye, playing a version of herself who works in a video store while searching for a forgotten black actress from the 30s credited only as “The Watermelon Woman”.
The Watermelon Woman is a bold film that mixes fiction and documentary to tell a story about identity, race, and queer history. Cheryl Dunye’s debut is a witty and reflective masterpiece that blends humor with sharp social commentary as she searches for the untold stories of black lesbians in film history.
What begins as a DIY documentary project slowly becomes something richer: a meditation on who gets remembered, who gets erased, and who has the power to tell stories. Dunye places herself at the centre, not as an authority, but as a participant who is curious, flawed, funny, and openly subjective. The film understands that objectivity has often been the tool of erasure, not truth.
The lo-fi, DIY aesthetic adds authenticity to charm, and Dunye’s performance as both director and lead gives the movie a strong, intimate voice. There’s joy here too, friendships unfold with lived-in ease, romance is awkward and sincere, and the film’s low-budget aesthetic becomes a strength rather than a limitation allowing the story to feel both handmade and alive.
Cheryl Dunye doesn’t just tell a story, she reconstructs history, questions archives, and inserts herself into a cinematic lineage that never made space for her. It’s funny, intimate, political, and deeply personal all at once. By the time the film ends, you realize you’ve watched something both historically vital and delightfully enchanting. The Watermelon Woman is a film about looking back in order to create a future archive where people like Dunye are impossible to erase.
Even decades later, it feels fresh. Not just because of its themes, but because of its voice: playful, sharp, and unapologetically queer.
(written by the wonderful Sofia Bartels)
Doors will be open from 6:30pm with an introduction and short film (student film La Noche by Tatiana Delclaux) starting from 7pm with the feature film aiming to start by 7:30 the latest. Feel free to stick around and chat after the film finishes and share your thoughts!!
Light refreshments will be available. The paid Cafe will be open before the film to grab whatever drinks you want. Popcorn and sweets however will be available for free upon arrival!
Make sure to follow us on Instagram- @Femmefilmscinema , for more updates!!
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 8.83
