The Watermelon Woman poster
7/10 1997 1h 25m Released

Sometimes you have to create your own history.

A young black lesbian filmmaker probes into the life of The Watermelon Woman, a 1930s black actress who played 'mammy' archetypes.

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Top Cast

Cheryl Dunye
Cheryl Dunye
Cheryl
Guinevere Turner
Guinevere Turner
Diana
Valarie Walker
Valarie Walker
Tamara
Lisa Marie Bronson
Lisa Marie Bronson
Fae "The Watermelon Woman" Richards
Cheryl Clarke
Cheryl Clarke
June Walker
Irene Dunye
Irene Dunye
Self
Brian Freeman
Brian Freeman
Lee Edwards
Ira Jeffries
Ira Jeffries
Shirley Hamilton
Alexandra Juhasz
Alexandra Juhasz
Martha Page
Camille Paglia
Camille Paglia
Self
Sarah Schulman
Sarah Schulman
CLIT Archivist
V.S. Brodie
V.S. Brodie
Karaoke Singer
Shelley Olivier
Shelley Olivier
Annie Heath
David Rakoff
David Rakoff
Librarian
Toshi Reagon
Toshi Reagon
Street Musician
Christopher Ridenhour
Christopher Ridenhour
Bob

Reviews

CinemaSerf 6/10

In some ways this makes for quite an intriguing docu-drama on the historic roles of African American woman in cinema as the silents gave way to the talkies. Back then, many a cast member, regardless of race or sex, was given a simple title or bit part to avoid them being paid more than absolutely necessary, and one such lady that featured now and again was referred to as the “Watermelon Woman”. Almost a century…

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FAQ about The Watermelon Woman

What is The Watermelon Woman about?
A young black lesbian filmmaker probes into the life of The Watermelon Woman, a 1930s black actress who played 'mammy' archetypes.
When was The Watermelon Woman released?
The Watermelon Woman was released in 1997.
What genres does The Watermelon Woman belong to?
The Watermelon Woman is categorised as Drama, Comedy, Romance.
Who stars in The Watermelon Woman?
The cast of The Watermelon Woman includes Cheryl Dunye, Guinevere Turner, Valarie Walker, Lisa Marie Bronson, Cheryl Clarke.