The Watermelon Woman

Sometimes you have to create your own history.

Duration: 85 min
Release date: 1997-03-05
IMDB

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

Drama Comedy Romance

The Watermelon Woman

Videos

The Watermelon Woman The Watermelon Woman The Watermelon Woman The Watermelon Woman The Watermelon Woman

Watch Providers

Criterion Channel

Casting arrow_drop_down

Cheryl Dunye
Cheryl Dunye
as Cheryl
Guinevere Turner
Guinevere Turner
as Diana
Valarie Walker
Valarie Walker
as Tamara
Lisa Marie Bronson
Lisa Marie Bronson
as Fae "The Watermelon Woman" Richards
Cheryl Clarke
Cheryl Clarke
as June Walker
Irene Dunye
Irene Dunye
as Self
Brian Freeman
Brian Freeman
as Lee Edwards
Ira Jeffries
Ira Jeffries
as Shirley Hamilton
Alexandra Juhasz
Alexandra Juhasz
as Martha Page
Camille Paglia
Camille Paglia
as Self
Sarah Schulman
Sarah Schulman
as CLIT Archivist
V.S. Brodie
V.S. Brodie
as Karaoke Singer
Shelley Olivier
Shelley Olivier
as Annie Heath
David Rakoff
David Rakoff
as Librarian
Toshi Reagon
Toshi Reagon
as Street Musician
Christopher Ridenhour
Christopher Ridenhour
as Bob
Kat Robertson
Kat Robertson
as Yvette
Jocelyn Taylor
Jocelyn Taylor
as Stacey
Bill Wayterra
Bill Wayterra
as Photographer
Elaine Freeman
Elaine Freeman
as Bride's Mother
Erin Cramer
Erin Cramer
as Bride
Wellington Love
Wellington Love
as Groom
Toni Nash
Toni Nash
as Groom's Mother
Zoe Goldberg
Zoe Goldberg
as Little White Girl
Calder Goldberg
Calder Goldberg
as Little White Boy
Shanell Johnson
Shanell Johnson
as Little Black Girl 1
Olivia Bokelman
Olivia Bokelman
as Little Black Girl 2
Madelyn Bokelman
Madelyn Bokelman
as Little Black Girl 3
Barry Swimar
Barry Swimar
as Relative in Yamulke
Sara Vogt
Sara Vogt
as "Plantation Memories" Mistress / Cassandra Brooke (photo)
Ana Margaret Sanchez
Ana Margaret Sanchez
as "Souls of Deceit" Mulatto
Eve Oishi
Eve Oishi
as Karaoke Cute Girl / Woman in Audience (photo)
Joy Malinowski
Joy Malinowski
as Emcee
Anthony Christopher
Anthony Christopher
as Black Banker on the Street
Suzi Nash
Suzi Nash
as Black School Teacher on the Street
Earl Pittman
Earl Pittman
as Sorry Rosie 1
Jonathan Ellis
Jonathan Ellis
as Sorry Rosie 2
T. LaMonte McKinnon
T. LaMonte McKinnon
as Sorry Rosie 3
S. Elizabeth Evans
S. Elizabeth Evans
as Leather Girl on the Street
Amadee Braxton
Amadee Braxton
as Bus Stop Girl 1
Denise Sneed
Denise Sneed
as Bus Stop Girl 2
Robert Reid-Pharr
Robert Reid-Pharr
as Street Queen in Library Line / Fred DeShields (photo)
David Hanson
David Hanson
as Grungy White Boy
Rita Porter
Rita Porter
as White Woman at Produce Truck
Brian Baisemore
Brian Baisemore
as Produce Man
Gail Lloyd
Gail Lloyd
as Diana's Black Date
Tatum Kendall
Tatum Kendall
as White Girl Student 1
Tania Galloni
Tania Galloni
as White Girl Student 2
Jake Carlo
Jake Carlo
as White Boy Student
Zanobia Webb
Zanobia Webb
as Poet
Nana Korantemaa
Nana Korantemaa
as Drummer
Nana Akousa Agyiriwah
Nana Akousa Agyiriwah
as Percussionist
Virginia Manning
Virginia Manning
as Annie's Girlfriend
Patricia Ellis
Patricia Ellis
as Mrs. Page-Fletcher
Lillie Hayes
Lillie Hayes
as Her Maid
James Charles Roberts
James Charles Roberts
as Newsreel Narrator (voice)
Robert Sciasci
Robert Sciasci
as Police Officer
A. Ron Marigna
A. Ron Marigna
as Police Officer
Donnita Hamilton
Donnita Hamilton
as June's Next Door Neighbor
K. Brent Hill
K. Brent Hill
as J. Liberty Wells
Jody Benjamin
Jody Benjamin
as Josie
Claudine Benoit
Claudine Benoit
as Butch at Party
Zoe Bissel
Zoe Bissel
as White Bar Dyke
Anna Blume
Anna Blume
as Eleanor Van Clyde
Mark Breitenberg
Mark Breitenberg
as Claude Thornton
Kenrick Cato
Kenrick Cato
as Ray Blake / NAACP
Kristina Deutsch
Kristina Deutsch
as Sandra Vincent
Charlene Gilbert
Charlene Gilbert
as Card Playing Dyke
Reggie Griffin
Reggie Griffin
as Hambone Jones
Valerie Manenti
Valerie Manenti
as Rent Party and White Bar Dyke
Lilly Marnell
Lilly Marnell
as Femme at Party
Fawn McGee
Fawn McGee
as Bobbi / Willa Clarke
Darrell Moore
Darrell Moore
as NAACP
Luciana Moreira
Luciana Moreira
as Set Stylist
L.M. Doria Roberts
L.M. Doria Roberts
as Reba Richards / Banana Skirt
Linda Salerno
Linda Salerno
as Margaret Fitzgerald
Carolyn Shapiro
Carolyn Shapiro
as White Actress
Julia Zay
Julia Zay
as White Bar Dyke
arrow_drop_down

Crew arrow_drop_down

Cheryl Dunye
Cheryl Dunye
Director
Mike Lemon
Mike Lemon
Casting
Jack A. Mehlbaum
Jack A. Mehlbaum
Sound Recordist
Stacey Byers
Stacey Byers
Set Decoration
Luciana Moreira
Luciana Moreira
Costume Design
Robert Holtzman
Robert Holtzman
Production Design
Solomon Wise
Solomon Wise
Costume Design
James R. Ford Jr.
James R. Ford Jr.
Sound Editor
Magali Taylor
Magali Taylor
Sound Editor
Sharon Stein
Sharon Stein
Production Manager
Joy Malinowski
Joy Malinowski
Associate Producer
Elenie Mansalis
Elenie Mansalis
Second Assistant Director
Bill Coleman
Bill Coleman
Music Supervisor
Missy Moyer
Missy Moyer
Location Manager
Sonya Klimuk
Sonya Klimuk
Script Supervisor
Ted Shields
Ted Shields
Second Assistant Director
Burke Moody
Burke Moody
Co-Executive Producer
Renae Dinnerman
Renae Dinnerman
Assistant Director
Michael LaCorte
Michael LaCorte
Second Second Assistant Director
Tim Downs
Tim Downs
Location Manager
Michael Light
Michael Light
Executive Producer
Annie Taylor
Annie Taylor
Co-Executive Producer
Annie Taylor
Annie Taylor
Editor
Duana C. Butler
Duana C. Butler
Production Coordinator
Andrew Reed Conner
Andrew Reed Conner
Gaffer
James R. Ford Jr.
James R. Ford Jr.
Associate Editor
Gail Lloyd
Gail Lloyd
Boom Operator
Sharon Levin Cohen
Sharon Levin Cohen
Casting
S. Madison Bédard
S. Madison Bédard
Music Coordinator
Gail Lloyd
Gail Lloyd
Casting Director
Pamela Turchin
Pamela Turchin
Production Office Coordinator
Christopher Leo Daniels
Christopher Leo Daniels
Second Assistant Camera
Burke Moody
Burke Moody
Additional Editor
Stephen C. Rocamboli
Stephen C. Rocamboli
Music Coordinator
Dave Rainey
Dave Rainey
Boom Operator
Burke Moody
Burke Moody
Post Production Supervisor
Magali Taylor
Magali Taylor
Additional Editor
Kevin Boyle
Kevin Boyle
Assistant Camera
Sarah Vogt
Sarah Vogt
Wardrobe Assistant
Keelyn Bradley
Keelyn Bradley
Casting
K. Brent Hill
K. Brent Hill
Extras Casting
Jeff Kahn
Jeff Kahn
Best Boy Grip
Justiana Birzin
Justiana Birzin
Craft Service
Cheryl Dunye
Cheryl Dunye
Writer
Barry Swimar
Barry Swimar
Producer
Cheryl Dunye
Cheryl Dunye
Editor
Alexandra Juhasz
Alexandra Juhasz
Producer
Paul Shapiro
Paul Shapiro
Original Music Composer
Cate Wilson
Cate Wilson
Co-Producer
Michelle Crenshaw
Michelle Crenshaw
Director of Photography
Christine Vachon
Christine Vachon
Thanks
Douglas McKeown
Douglas McKeown
Co-Writer
arrow_drop_down

Recomendation Films

  • Bang Gang (une histoire d'amour moderne)
  • Bigger Stronger Faster*
  • Comment je me suis disputé… (ma vie sexuelle)
  • Eisenstein in Guanajuato
  • Kusama: Infinity
  • Vice Is Broke
  • Assailant
  • Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon
  • La vida era eso
  • Transylvanie
  • El Topo
  • The Surfer
  • Dead Ringers
  • Gia
  • Eraserhead
  • Grave
  • 아가씨
  • The Twilight Saga: New Moon
  • The Big Short
  • Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Similar Films

  • Swept from the Sea
  • Alexander
  • Une vieille maîtresse
  • Anatomie de l'enfer
  • 殯の森
  • Persepolis
  • Tanguy
  • No Goodbyes
  • 손잡아 줘
  • Amsterdam to Anatolia
  • Blue My Mind
  • The Holiday
  • Copying Beethoven
  • Nirgendwo in Afrika
  • When Saturday Comes
  • Une vraie jeune fille
  • Forces of Nature
  • Between Waves
  • Música Para Morrer de Amor

NextFilm 2025