In 1990s Philadelphia, a young black lesbian filmmaker begins making a documentary about Fae Richards, an obscure black actress from the 1930s known as “the watermelon woman.” As she delves into Fae’s story, surprising and resonant parallels to her own life began to emerge. Balancing breezy rom-com with a serious inquiry into the history of Black and queer women in Hollywood, Cheryl Dunye gave cinema something bracingly new and groundbreaking: a vibrant representation of Black lesbian identity by a Black lesbian filmmaker.

Reviews

‘Dunye’s smart and poignant twisting of history makes the film a timeless statement.’
★★★★
Calum Baker, Radio Times