The Watermelon Woman

Cheryl, played by the writer-director Cheryl Dunye, is a black lesbian working at a video rental store where she is particularly fascinated by old movies featuring black actresses. They are often typecast in minor roles without so much as a credit. Cheryl takes interest in one such actress who plays a mammy and is credited only as “the watermelon woman”. Cheryl sets out to find out who she was and make a documentary about her. Released in 1996, “The Watermelon Woman” is a landmark film of the New Queer Cinema by a black lesbian filmmaker.