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

Sorry - you missed it!

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

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What else is on?

Today (Tuesday 5th November)

18:15

A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Thing PG
HOH Subtitles / £6 for Members
1h 29m
Essayistic documentary by Mark Cousins (The Story of Film) examining the life and work of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, one of the key figures in the history of modern art in Britain. Narrated by Tilda Swinton.

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20:30

Die Before You Die 15
£6 for Members
1h 44m
A hot-headed influencer faces a desperate fight for survival six feet underground after an internet challenge goes horribly wrong. A tense psychological thriller delving into the dark side of social media fame.

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Tomorrow (Wednesday 6th November)

14:45

The Apprentice 15
Deaf/HOH Subtitles
2h 2m
Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong (Succession) star in this darkly comedic tale about a young Donald Trump coming under the sway of ruthless lawyer Roy Cohn, who teaches him how to win at any cost.

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17:30

The Crime Is Mine 15
1h 43m | French w/ English subtitles
In François Ozon’s (Summer of 85, 8 Women) farcical crime-comedy, a young actress is accused of murdering a famous film producer. As the trial turns into a media spectacle, a new kind of fame awaits her.

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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!