Join hosts Alonso Duralde and Daniel Thompson as they sit down with filmmaker Cheryl Dunye, best known for her trailblazing film "The Watermelon Woman." As a graduate from Temple University, Cheryl sought to define her identity as a black lesbian in cinema, only to realize the glaring lack of representation. This realization fueled her to create a film that blends her passion for cinema, her personal identity, and her vibrant community.
Cheryl explores how "The Watermelon Woman" aimed to empower queer individuals and add a pivotal chapter to film history. They also discuss her views on the importance of preserving and making accessible diverse film narratives, her favorite genre films, and influential titles currently available on Kanopy. Plus, Cheryl shares her thoughts on the resilience needed to succeed as an indie filmmaker in a landscape with significant racial and gender disparities.
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Producer: Brandon Gray
Executive Producer: Christian Pierce
Graphic Design: Aleksandra Jelic
© Kanopy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Produced by Bramble Jam Podcast
Episode Highlights
00:00 Introduction
03:21 Intro to Cheryl Dunye
07:35 Cheryl searches for black lesbian representation
13:27 Importance of archiving black queer life stories
20:00 Finding solace in storytelling
25:48 Watermelon Woman finds a curated home
27:41 Rare content found online
31:51 Low budget lesbian film with diverse characters
34:43 Diverse LGBTQ+ content from Kanopy
