Date & Time: Saturday September 17th, 7:30pm
Location: Academy of Music Theatre, 274 Main Street, Northampton, MA 01060
Synopsis: Set in Philadelphia, The Watermelon Woman, is the story of Chery (Cheryl Dunye), a twenty-something black lesbian struggling to make a documentary about Fae Richards, a beautiful and elusive 1930s black film actress popularly known as “The Watermelon Woman.” While uncovering the meaning of Fae Richards’ life, Cheryl experiences as total upheaval in her personal life. Her love affair with Diana (Guinever Turner, Go Fish) a beautiful white woman, and her interactions with the gay and black communities are subject to the comic yet biting criticism of her best friend Tamara (Valerie Walker). Meanwhile, each answer Cheryl discovers about the Watermelon Woman evokes a flurry of new questions about herself and her future. At the films conclusion, the Watermelon Woman is clearly a metaphor for Cheryl’s search for identity, community, and love.
Runtime: 90 minutes (Q&A to follow)
Release Date: 1996, 2016
Director: Cheryl Dunye