The Watermelon Woman15

Directed by Cheryl Dunye | USA | 1996 | 1h 25m | Starring Cheryl Dunye, Guinevere Turner, Valarie Walker, Lisa Marie Bronson, Cheryl Clarke

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

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We showed The Watermelon Woman between March 11, 2024 and March 14, 2024.

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What else is on?

Today (Saturday 7th June)

15:45

When the Light Breaks 15
1h 20m | Icelandic w/ English subtitles
Student Una wakes with her heart full of love, but by sunset, her world has shattered completely. Shot on luminous 16mm film, Icelandic director Rúnar Rúnarsson's visually arresting elegy follows a young woman's search for quiet courage.

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17:45

Mulholland Drive 15
2h 27m
David Lynch’s mind-bending mystery where dreams and reality blur. As an aspiring actress and an amnesiac search for answers, Hollywood’s glossy façade gives way to obsession and danger. A modern classic and a masterpiece of psychological suspense.

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20:45

The Phoenician Scheme 15
1h 41m
When a billionaire bequeaths his empire to his nun daughter, chaos follows. Assassins, tycoons, and wild twists abound in Wes Anderson’s latest star-studded comedy caper, starring Benicio Del Toro, Scarlett Johansson and Michael Cera.

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Tomorrow (Sunday 8th June)

15:00

The Conformist 15
1h 53m | Italian w/ English subtitles
In 1930s Italy, a repressed man joins the fascist party and is ordered to kill his former professor. Bertolucci’s stylish psychological thriller explores conformity and power, influencing greats like Scorsese, Coppola, and Mann.

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17:30

The Phoenician Scheme 15
1h 41m
When a billionaire bequeaths his empire to his nun daughter, chaos follows. Assassins, tycoons, and wild twists abound in Wes Anderson’s latest star-studded comedy caper, starring Benicio Del Toro, Scarlett Johansson and Michael Cera.

Book here

19:45

Good One 15
1h 30m
On a three-day backpacking trip, 17-year-old Sam navigates the tense dynamics between her father and his oldest friend. When boundaries are crossed and trust is broken, simmering conflicts erupt in India Donaldson's perceptive debut.

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Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road. We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We don’t show adverts, just a couple of trailers, so don't be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!