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.

Join our mailing list and we'll make sure you always know what's on and when.

What else is on?

Today (Tuesday 11th February)

17:45

A Complete Unknown 15
£6 for Members
2h 20m
Timothée Chalamet plays a young Bob Dylan as he arrives in New York in the early 1960s, takes the folk scene by storm, and controversially rips up the rulebook, reshaping the trajectory of American rock music.

Book here

20:45

Babygirl 18
£6 for Members
1h 55m
A high powered CEO risks it all when she becomes embroiled in an illicit affair with an intern. A gripping erotic thriller delving into themes of power and desire, featuring seductive performances from Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson.

Book here


Tomorrow (Wednesday 12th February)

15:00

A Complete Unknown 15
Deaf/HOH Subtitles
2h 20m
Timothée Chalamet plays a young Bob Dylan as he arrives in New York in the early 1960s, takes the folk scene by storm, and controversially rips up the rulebook, reshaping the trajectory of American rock music.

Book here

18:00

Babygirl 18
1h 55m
A high powered CEO risks it all when she becomes embroiled in an illicit affair with an intern. A gripping erotic thriller delving into themes of power and desire, featuring seductive performances from Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson.

Book here

20:30

Maria 12A
2h 3m
In the 1970s, opera singer Maria Callas retreats to Paris and reflects on the soaring heights of her career. Angelina Jolie gives a exquisite lead performance in this empathetic drama by Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín.

Book here


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!