The Watermelon Woman + intro

This screening will be introduced by playwright Iman Qureshi

For anyone who found their love in the video shop (or wishes they did!), this ’90s cult classic is the first American feature directed by an ‘out’ Black lesbian and a recent arrival in the BFI’s ‘Greatest Films Of All Time’ critics’ poll. Filmmaker Cheryl (playing herself), in investigating the erasure of Black actresses from Hollywood history, challenges the complexities of representation, interracial relationships and the nature of film form. This landmark title of New Queer Cinema is a vital, interrogative take on the rom-com that’s full of surprises and laugh-out-loud moments and deserves to be seen with a captivated audience.

Explore the full Ministry of Lesbian Affairs Cinema Season here.

Preserved by the UCLA Film & Television Archive. Preservation funded by 13th Gen, Outfest, The Andrew J. Kuehn Jr. Foundation, TIFF, First Run Features and Yves Averous