The Watermelon Woman


Subject: The Watermelon Woman
From: Malcolm Lawrence (Malcolm@wolfenet.com)
Date: Wed Feb 26 1997 - 03:33:36 GMT


    Please participate in the grass-roots distribution of
    "The Watermelon Woman," directed by Cheryl Dunye, by
    
    1) coming to see the movie when it is in a theater near you
    
    2) passing on this message by email, or your own voice, to others
    
    Our movie will enjoy a limited release by First Run Features to 8 art
    theaters around the country. If lots of folks come out the first week,
    many of these theaters will extend the run. The mainstream industry
    believes there is not an audience for an intelligent and funny black
    lesbian feature. YOU ARE THAT AUDIENCE. Let them know that we exist, and
    enjoy the film...
    
    New York City: The Film Forum: March 5-19
    Los Angeles: The NuArt: March 28-April 3
    New Orleans: Zeitgeist: April 18-27
    Boston: Brattle Theatre: May 9-15
    San Diego: Ken Thetre: June 13-19
    
    Also San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Ithaca, Buffalo, Houston
    and others (dates and theaters tba)
    
    "The Watermelon Woman" is an independent feature film set in present day
    Philadelphia. It is the story of Cheryl, a twentysomething black lesbian
    (Cheryl Dunye), struggling to make a documentary about a beautiful and
    elusive 1930s film actress, popularly known as the "Watermelon Woman."
    As Cheryl uncovers the meanings of the Watermelon Woman's life, she
    experiences a total upheaval in her personal life. She falls in love
    with a white woman (Guin Turner from "Go Fish"), and banters about race
    and desire with her best friend Tamara (Valarie Walker). At the film's
    close, the Watermelon Woman is clearly a metaphor for Cheryl's search
    for identity, community and love. Make sure to watch for other notable
    figures from the "lavendar and black limelight" who appear in the film:
    singer/song writer, Toshi Reagon; poet, Cheryl Clarke; novelist, Sarah
    Schulma;, performace artist, Brian Freeman; and cultural critic, Camille
    Paglia.
    
    The Watermelon Woman has won the Teddy Bear for best gay and lesbian
    festure at the 1996 Berlin Film Festival. Audience Awards at the Creteil
    Women's Film Festival, the Torino Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, The Los
    Angeles Outfest, and the Teipei International Film Festival. It has also
    been the hotly debated "poster child" in the right wing's routine yearly
    attempts to defund the NEA (the film received $30,500 in NEA funding in
    1995). In this case because one reviewer said the film included the
    year's "hottest lesbian love scene." The film also includes 82
    photographs from the "life" of the film's fictional lead character made
    in collaboration with well-known lesbian photographer, Zoe Leonard, and
    represented by the Paula Cooper Gallery in New York. The 82 photos and
    the film itself will appear in this year's Whitney Biennial in NYC,
    opening March 20th.
    
    For Booking contact:
    First Run Features
    212.243.0600
    
    Press:
    Kahn and Jacobs
    212-647-1850

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