SF State Symposium Honors 20th Anniversary of 'Watermelon Woman'

BAY AREA REPORTER -- A two-day symposium honoring the 20th anniversary of Cheryl Dunye’s groundbreaking film, “The Watermelon Woman” — the first feature film directed by and starring a black lesbian — will be held September 23 – 24 at San Francisco State University. The symposium includes film screenings, panels, performances, readings, and art. It is free and open to the public, with an optional $25 VIP reception Saturday evening. Dunye’s film, originally released in 1996 and restored and rereleased earlier this year, was “a watershed moment for black cinema, feminist cinema, lesbian cinema and new queer cinema,” according to Darius Bost, the symposium organizer. In the symposium announcement, Bost, assistant professor of sexuality studies at SFSU, said the film “garnered widespread critical acclaim and its success inspired many black lesbians to create their own films.”