The Criterion Voyages (Spine #1184): THE WATERMELON WOMAN -- An Essential LGBTQIA+ Film to Add to Your Collection

By Sean Boelman

Although many of the July additions to the Criterion Collection are more mainstream picks, there are a few that are on the more historically important side. The Watermelon Woman remains one of the most important films in LGBTQIA+ film canon, making it an essential pick-up — especially considering the ongoing sale.

The movie follows filmmaker Cheryl Dunye playing a fictionalized version of herself — a Black lesbian filmmaker who sets out on a quest to uncover the truth behind a seemingly buried figure in African-American and lesbian film history. Although the eponymous character is fictional, the movie offers an absolutely fascinating exploration of these themes.

One would be hard-pressed to find an LGBTQIA+ film that is as relevant as this. The Watermelon Woman is considered one of the foundational films in the New Queer Cinema movement, which paved the way for queer independent filmmakers to make a splash. By this alone, the movie earns its spot in the collection.

However, the film also stands as an exceptional movie on its own. The meta narrative, about Cheryl (the character) having to create her own LGBTQIA+ film history as Dunye (the filmmaker) actually did it — even if it might have been unexpected on a budget of a few hundred thousand dollars — is brilliant.

Furthermore, The Watermelon Woman is just an extraordinarily funny comedy. There are so many jokes that — even more than 25 years later — still manage to get a laugh every single time. The karaoke scene, in which Kathy Robertson gives a… rousing (?) performance, is an all-timer.

The 2K restoration of the film included on the Blu-Ray edition isn’t anything new — it’s been floating around in theatrical presentations and on streaming since the movie’s 20th anniversary in 2016 — but it’s still gorgeous. The work that the folks at the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project did to ensure this film was preserved in its full glory is nothing short of admirable.

Something else that makes this Criterion Collection edition stand out is its wealth of bonus features. For a movie that is as widely available as this, it’s important to have these perks to make the new disc worth the purchase. The disc features a new interview with Dunye, new conversations with Dunye and producer Alexandra Juhasz, as well as six of Dunye’s early short films.

Although it was a bit of a missed opportunity for the folks at Criterion not to release their edition of The Watermelon Woman in June in time for Pride Month, it’s still an essential addition to any cinephile’s shelf. There’s no denying how good this movie is, and it’s a joy to be able to bring it home.

The Criterion Collection edition of The Watermelon Woman is now available.