Watermelon Woman (1996)

»The Watermelon Woman,« directed by Cheryl Dunye and released in 1996, is a groundbreaking film that blends documentary and fiction to explore the intersectionality of queer and African-American identities. The story follows Cheryl, a young African-American lesbian filmmaker, as she investigates the life of a forgotten black actress known as "The Watermelon Woman," uncovering themes of racial, sexual, and social constructs. Dunye's innovative narrative approach and candid portrayal of queer lives challenge traditional cinema, providing a complex representation of black queer identity and critiquing the selective nature of historical documentation.